De Lima designates PCGG, BI OICs

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has tapped her two top subordinates as temporary heads of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In a press conference yesterday, De Lima announced that she has designated Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras and Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar as officers-in-charge of the PCGG and BI, respectively.

She explained that the two would serve until July 31, when President Aquino is expected to have appointed new heads of the PCGG and BI, which are both under the supervision of her office.

De Lima said the President has accepted her recommendation to replace all remaining commissioners of the PCGG appointed by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

De Lima said the PCGG is covered by the first memorandum circular issued by the Aquino administration declaring that all coterminous officials appointed by Mrs. Arroyo are deemed resigned last June 30.

In the Justice chief’s legal opinion, she said the remaining commissioners – including Ricardo Abcede, who earlier proclaimed himself as officer-in-charge of PCGG in a memorandum that he later took back after being virtually reprimanded by De Lima – were appointed by Mrs. Arroyo and are therefore coterminous with her.

De Lima’s legal opinion affirmed the position of PCGG executive Danilo Daniel, the agency’s most senior officer and the commission’s director for research, who also earlier claimed to be the OIC of the PCGG.

Daniel issued a memorandum order last July 2 announcing that he was assuming as OIC in view of Memorandum Circular 1 issued by Malacañang declaring that all coterminous officials appointed by Arroyo are resigned effective June 30.

Abcede in turn issued a memorandum last July 14 addressed to all PCGG officers and employees declaring himself “as officer-in-charge, being the most senior commissioner in the organization, until a new PCGG chairman or any new commissioner is appointed.”

De Lima immediately nullified this order, saying it did not have her express and written approval.

In her memorandum circular issued last July 16, De Lima said: “Chairman (Camilo) Sabio is deemed separated from office as of June 30, 2010.

“The next-in-rank and most senior official of the PCGG, who shall take over as officer-in-charge, shall replace Chairman Sabio in the performance of duties and discharge of responsibilities until July 31, 2010 or until a replacement has been appointed or designated.”

But she clarified that there is nothing in her opinion that expressly named Abcede as OIC.

Abcede, as reported by The STAR, claimed that De Lima’s opinion in effect has already named him as OIC of the commission.

De Lima said she was surprised by the statement of Abcede, who even declared in a memorandum last July 16 that he recognizes the authority of the DOJ and also assures her of his full cooperation with her directives.

Still, the DOJ chief believes there was a clear “attempt (of Abcede) to designate himself as OIC.”

The position of BI chief, on the other hand, became vacant after Commissioner Marcelino Libanan tendered last week his resignation that was later accepted by the President.