MANILA, Philippines - As Congress organized the 25-man panel of the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) last Wednesday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the CA cannot scrutinize the credentials of the three acting secretaries appointed by President Aquino.
Three Cabinet officials – Jesse Robredo of the Interior and Local Government, Ramon Paje of the Environment and Natural Resources and Labor’s Rosalinda Baldoz – have been appointed as “acting secretaries.”
“Acting secretaries? We cannot resolve that in the CA, because they are on acting capacity,” Enrile said, adding that it is within the President’s prerogative to appoint a person in an acting capacity.
Apart from permanent appointments, Enrile said the CA, as a body, can look into the credentials of ad-interim appointments, which refer to persons who were appointed during every recess of Congress where the President can re-appoint them if they failed to pass CA scrutiny.
Enrile pointed out that Aquino has a “political responsibility to the Filipino people” regarding these appointments. “His responsibility is to the people and to us. We have separation of powers. We cannot compel him to send the appointment to us,” the Senate president said.
According to Enrile, Congress cannot tell the President to bring to the CA his appointments. If the President abuses his prerogative, Enrile added that the only recourse of Congress is to file an impeachment proceeding against the President.
The CA has elected its set of officers and named the chairmen and vice-chairmen for the committees last Wednesday.
Under the Constitution, Enrile is automatically designated as CA chairman. Named vice chairman was Rep. Roilo Golez while 2nd District Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Rosendo Labadlabad was elected majority leader; Sen. Franklin Drilon, assistant majority leader; Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, minority leader; 2nd District Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, assistant minority leader; retired police general Orvil Gabuna as sergeant-at-arms and Arturo Tui as CA secretary.
The Commission also elected the following chairmen and vice chairmen to the committees:
| Accounts | Chairman: Rep. Rosendo Labadlabad, Dist.2, Zamboanga del Norte Vice Chairman: Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero |
| Agrarian Reform | Chairman: Sen. Gregorio Honasan II |
| Agriculture and Food | Chairman: Rep. Erineo Maliksi, Dist. 3, Cavite Vice Chairman: Sen. Ralph Recto |
| Budget and Management | Chairman: Sen. Franklin Drilon Vice Chairman Rep. Erineo Maliksi, Dist. 3, Cavite |
| Constitutional Commission and Offices | Chairman: Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada Vice Chairman: Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, PL-Alagad |
| Education, Culture and Sports | Chairman: Sen. Edgardo Angara Vice Chairman : Rep. Rex Gatchalian, Dist. 1, Valenzuela |
| Energy | Chairman: Sen. Sergio Osmena III Vice Chairman: Rep. Rex Gatchalian, Dist. 1, Valenzuela |
| Environment and Natural Resources | Chairman: Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero Vice Chairman: Rep. Pedro Romualdo, Camiguin |
| Ethics | Chairman: Rep. Erineo Maliksi, Dist. 3, Cavite Vice Chairman: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano |
| Finance | Chairman: Sen. Ralph Recto Vice Chairman: Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Dist. 3, Camarines Sur |
| Foreign Affairs | Chairman: Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Vice Chairmen: Sen. Edgardo Angara Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero Rep. Antonio Alvarez, Dist. 1, Palawan Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Dist. 3, Camarines Sur Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Dist. 4, Iloilo Rep. Erineo Maliksi, Dist. 3, Cavite |
| Government Corporations and Other Offices | Chairman: Rep. Rosendo Labadlabad, Dist. 2, Zamboanga del Norte Vice Chairman: Sen. Sergio Osmena III |
| Health | Chairman: Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Vice Chairman: Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Dist. 4, Iloilo |
| Interior and Local Government, Regional Consultative Commissions and Regional Autonomous Governments | Chairman: Sen. Vicente Sotto III Vice Chairman: Rep. Antonio Del Rosario, Dist. 1, Capiz |
| Justice and Judicial and Bar Council | Chairman: Sen. Joker Arroyo Vice Chairman: Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, PL Alagad |
| Labor, Employment and Social Welfare | Chairman: Rep. Luis Villafuerte, Dist. 3, Camarines Sur Vice Chairman: Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada |
| National Defense | Chairman: Rep. Antonio Del Rosario, Dist 1, Capiz Vice Chairmen: Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero Sen. Ralph Recto Sen. Gregorio Honasan II Sen. Edgardo Angara Rep. Pedro Romualdo, Camiguin Rep. Antonio Alvarez, Dist. 1, Palawan Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Dist. 4, Iloilo |
| Public Works and Highways | Chairman: Rep. Pedro Romualdo, Camiguin Vice Chairmen: Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Rep. Erineo Maliksi, Dist. 3, Cavite |
| Rules and Resolutions | Chairman: Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, Dist.4, Nueva Ecija Vice Chairmen: Sen. Franklin Drilon Sen. Vicente Sotto III |
| Science and Technology | Chairman: Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, PL Alagad Vice Chairman: Sen. Edgardo Angara |
| Tourism and Economic Development | Chairman: Rep. Rex Gatchalian, Dist. 1, Valenzuela Vice Chairman: Sen. Vicente Sotto III |
| Trade and Industry Committee | Chairman: Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Dist. 4, Iloilo Vice Chairman: Sen. Sergio Osmena III |
| Transportation and Communications | Chairman: Rep. Antonio Alvarez, Dist. 1, Palawan Vice Chairman: Sen. Ralph Recto. |
The CA is a constitutional body that reviews and decides on the qualifications of Cabinet members, diplomats and military officers from the rank of colonel and up. It is composed of the Senate President as ex-officio chairman and 12 members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Members from each house of Congress are elected based on proportional representation from the political parties and parties or organizations registered under the party-list system.