8 Cabinet appointees await CA confirmation

MANILA, Philippines — For some time now, the confirmation of eight Cabinet appointees of President Marcos has been up in the air as Congress has yet to scrutinize their qualifications despite the Jan. 26 resumption of session.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri acknowledged the dilemma of the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA), following the apparent failure of the nominees to submit required documents for congressional vetting.

Zubiri commended Sen. Rodante Marcoleta for pointing out that these Cabinet members remain as ad interim appointees since Malacañang has yet to submit their papers.

“Under our rules in the CA, when a secretary or appointee had been bypassed three times, the CA will decide whether to accept or reject him on the third time,” Zubiri explained.

“But in this case, (appointees) are all (designated) in an acting capacity because there are no appointment papers from the Palace and therefore, there is nothing to act on,” he added.

Ad interim appointees are Cabinet secretaries appointed when Congress is not in session, while those in an “acting capacity” are appointed while Congress is in session, Senate President Tito Sotto III noted.

“I remember distinctly during the time of the (late) Raul Gonzalez, he was secretary of justice for forever. His appointment was always ad interim because his appointment papers were never submitted to the CA,” Sotto said, referring to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s controversial justice chief.

‘Marcos trusts Frasco’

Meanwhile, President Marcos continues to trust Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Malacañang said yesterday, amid rumors that she is on her way out of the Cabinet.

Frasco will reportedly be replaced either by former Philippine Airlines president Stanley Ng or another person from the business sector since the country’s tourism sector is lagging behind its neighbors.

Earlier this month, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro denied the supposed looming leadership change in the tourism department. — Alexis Romero