EDITORIAL — Rules of conduct

The recent scandal over shakedowns and shady horse-trading in the Commission on Appointments might yet lead to something good. Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles, the newly designated head of the CA contingent in the House of Representatives, is proposing “rules of conduct” for members of the House team.

Nograles was one of two congressmen mentioned by his predecessor in the CA team, Prospero Pichay Jr., who supposedly raised certain “concerns” with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves when the Cabinet member faced CA confirmation. Teves was bypassed by the CA. His father, Negros Oriental Rep. Herminio Teves, later denounced the CA confirmation process, accusing members whom he did not identify of shaking down officials who need the com-mission’s nod.

Though no names were mentioned, Pichay came out to defend the CA, engaging Teves and his son in a war of words. Watching this public washing of dirty linen, Filipinos simply waited for the verbal skirmish to end, believing the scandal would die down with lawmakers never lifting a finger to change anything in the CA confirmation process.

Probably because his name cropped up in the scandal, Nograles at least is now making noises about introducing new rules to be observed by the House CA contingent, whose members the elder Teves accused of engaging in the shakedown. Nograles has a general idea of the new rules of conduct he is seeking: he said the CA must act swiftly and with transparency on matters requiring the approval of the commission. These include appointments to the Cabinet and the diplomatic corps and military promotions.

If such reforms push through, the executive branch should do its part and start showing the CA due respect. This administration has treated the CA with utter disregard, allowing Cabinet nominees bypassed several times to stay at their posts for over a year by virtue of interim appointments. Protests from the CA have been muted, possibly because of the shady deals exposed by Teves. If the CA does not want to be rendered irrelevant by the executive, it should show that it deserves respect.