Villar reminds GMA appointees must get CA nod

Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. reminded President Arroyo yesterday that all of her appointees to the Cabinet should be confirmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA),

Villar said some Cabinet secretaries try to go around their CA confirmation and have retained their posts without passing through the CA.

He expressed disappointment over President Arroyo’s issuing ad interim appointments once her Cabinet secretaries fail to pass the CA hearings before the adjournment of Congress.

“All Cabinet secretaries should pass the CA confirmation.   It is not right that the President allows her secretaries to do away with CA appointments. They tend to go around and defer their confirmations. I would like all of them to get their confirmations during this Congress,” Villar said.

Villar did not name names but he was apparently referring to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes who has been transferred from one department to another (defense to environment, and now energy), and Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

Gonzalez was bypassed by the CA several times but he remains as justice secretary. Mendoza and Ebdane have never appeared before the CA yet because they have not completed their documentary requirements before the committee secretariat in the past Congress.

During an interview yesterday, Villar said he intends to discuss with the upcoming members of the CA how to address the reports of bribery exposed by some of their colleagues in the House of Representatives once the CA convenes next month.

The CA is yet to convene for the 14th Congress pending the completion of the contingents from the Senate and the House.

Lawyer Gemma Aspiras, of the CA secretariat, said her office had received all the nomination papers of 13 Cabinet secretaries who have yet to get confirmation.  

The Senate president is expected to seat as concurrent overall CA chairman.

“Under the law, the CA must convene within 30 days after Congress starts. We have no contingent from the House of Representatives yet, and it’s the same with the Senate. I expect that by Aug. 23, everything will be threshed out and that it when we can start (looking on these appointments),” Aspiras said.

The 14th Congress convened only last July 23.

The appointment of the new members of the CA is expected to be delayed because the senators are still squabbling over the chairmanship and membership of the 36 Senate committees.

The major contention lies on who should head the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

The President has 24 Cabinet members, including the executive secretary, press secretary and the head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

Aspiras said the Palace had sent the papers of the latest appointees of President Arroyo. They are Angelo Reyes who was relieved from his post as environment secretary and transferred to the Department of Energy, former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza who replaced Reyes at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and former Tarlac Rep. Gilbert Teodoro Jr. who was appointed as defense secretary.

The other secretaries whose papers are pending before the CA for approval are : Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., and Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

President Arroyo has not appointed any replacement for Omar Cruz who resigned as head of the Bureau of Treasury.