29/01/2026
๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ | ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฆ: ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ณ (๐
๐๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐)
It is a quiet testament to former Director and Spokesperson James Jimenez's dedication that long after he stepped away from the post, his name remained inseparable from the Commission on Elections. For many, he was not just someone who spoke for the institution; he embodied it. For more than a decade and a half, James was the public face of the Commission, and he embraced this role throughout the Commission's most difficult and closely scrutinized moments. In periods of controversy and challenge, he was the figure the public recognized and remembered.
James went beyond responding to questions or news interviews; he was a constant and deliberate presence in public discussions across forums, debates, and media engagements. He brought clarity where there was confusion and stood his ground when the Commission came under fire.
He defended COMELEC fiercely when needed, with reason, with extraordinary restraint, and with a passion that even critics could not dismiss. His statements reflected a deep understanding of the institution, tempered by his acknowledgment that the Commission remained answerable to the people. Because of him, elections felt less distant and easier to understand. He helped make the language of democracy accessible and part of everyday conversation.
And though James' life was far too short, much of it was given in public service, fulfilled quietly, diligently, and with conviction. I join the rest of the nation in thanking him for that devotion, and in praying for his eternal rest and for comfort for all who knew and loved him.
๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐, ๐
๐๐ข๐๐จ.
- COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia