Palace to critics of new Cabinet: Don’t be like crabs

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye warned government officials yesterday to refrain from acting like crabs that "claw at each other" in the wake of criticisms against President Arroyo’s new Cabinet members.

Bunye himself is among those newly appointed officials whose names were announced Wednesday night in Cebu. He concurrently holds the post of press secretary.

"The (new Cabinet team) will deliver if given the chance. Let us give each other a fair opportunity rather than claw at each other like crabs," he said.

Bunye made this appeal as the President administered the oaths of office to newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and National Anti-Poverty Commission secretary-general Imelda Nicolas during mass induction rites at the Palace yesterday.

Outgoing Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo — who was named as the new foreign affairs chief — and his successor, outgoing Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, will take their oaths of office before Mrs. Arroyo on Tuesday.

Romulo, who will take over from Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert, will host a "farewell" luncheon reception Monday for his friends and staff at Malacañang’s Premier Guest House, where he used to hold office.

In his press briefing yesterday, Bunye took exception to criticisms by administration nemesis Sen. Panfilo Lacson that Mrs. Arroyo’s appointment of new Cabinet members and other officials was a political "payback."

"The new Cabinet appointments are a payback to the Filipino people for their support and not to political parties or factions," he said.

Bunye pointed out that "the appointees are all fit for the job. Each brings to the Cabinet a unique skill, competence and experience that is required to move forward" the President’s program of governance.

He also took exception to criticisms that some of the new Cabinet officials lack the qualifications for their respective posts.

"I guess you just have to look at their individual curriculum vitae and you will note the broad background that each of the candidates possess," Bunye said.

He added that he finds "no problem" working under Silvestre Afable Jr., who was appointed presidential adviser for communications after Executive Order 348 created this new office.

Bunye told reporters he will not be drawn into a "crab" game at the Palace "snakepit" when asked if he, an official subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, has to report to Afable, whose appointment is not subject to CA confirmation.

"We do not really see any problem with that particular organization. We do not have any problem as far as coordination," he said. "I believe that this setup will be conducive to better coordination."

Bunye clarified that nothing prevents the newly appointed Cabinet officials, who are subject to CA confirmation, from being sworn into office even if they have not passed the CA’s grilling process.

"The procedure is they will be given a copy of their appointment paper and as soon as they have a copy, then they could take their oath and they could do this before any public officer. But the normal practice is that newly appointed officials take their oath before the President," he said.

Bunye could not say whether the new Cabinet members hold their respective posts only in an "acting" capacity since the CA has not yet confirmed their appointments.

"Anyway, as soon as they have taken their oaths following the receipt of their official appointment, they can perform the functions," he said.

The President has sworn into office Yap and Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes. She earlier said she will announce her next batch of Cabinet appointees as soon as the 25-man CA, a bicameral body chaired by Senate President Franklin Drilon, is formally constituted by Aug. 26.

House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles also defended the President’s newly appointed Cabinet officials, saying her critics have no right to question her judgment.

"Personal trust and confidence is very important and this is non-transferable. People can criticize her and make nasty comments on her decision but they have no right to question her judgment. It’s her neck on the line, not theirs. And I think that when it comes to competence and the ability to deliver based on her expectations, the President knows them more than anyone else on this planet," he said.

Nograles also appealed to members of the CA not to allow critics of Mrs. Arroyo’s appointees to use the body as a platform for mudslinging and "foul" personal attacks.

"There have been some instances that some people would present themselves to the CA to oppose certain appointments but it turns out that they only have some personal grudges against these appointees," he said.

Pro-administration Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri said members of the opposition forfeited their right to criticize the composition of Mrs. Arroyo’s new Cabinet when they fielded actor Fernando Poe Jr., a high school dropout, to run for president.

In a statement, Zubiri said it was ironic that the opposition accused some of the recent presidential appointees as inexperienced "when a few months back they were pushing for a man who has not even served as barangay tanod to the highest office of the land." — With Paolo Romero