MANILA, Philippines —The congressional Commission on Appointments, which is tasked with vetting presidential appointees, on Wednesday suspended proceedings to allow members to focus on elections work.
Rep. Gavini "Apol" Pancho (Bulacan, 2nd District) said that Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson made the request to suspend proceedings in two separate letters.
"The inability of our other members to attend today's hearing physically [is] due to their performance of a constitutionally-mandated duty as part of the National Board of Canvassers for the presidential and vice-presidential elections," Pancho said.
Lacson also asked if the committee meeting can done next week.
Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Committee on Constitutional Appointments and Offices, approved Pancho's request and said the hearing will be scheduled next week, with no one raising any objections.
The committee was supposed to meet five Duterte appointees on Wednesday to deliberate on whether to cofirm their appointments
The appointees are:
- Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson Saidamen Balt Pangarungan
- Comelec Commissioners George Erwin Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri
- Civil Service Commission Chairperson Karlo Alexei Nograles
- Commission on Audit Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justo
"I have been in the government for more than 40 years and in that span of time, I learned that public service is simply more than just simply performing a job. It should be seen as an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people I work...for and those I work with," Justo, who was able to address the panel before Pancho moved for a suspension, said.
Appointees to top posts at constitutional commissions like the Comelec, COA and CSC have fixed terms. — Angelica Y. Yang