PSC placed under account executive

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission has been placed under the care and supervision of its chief accountant following Malacañang’s issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 1 declaring all positions of coterminous officials and presidential appointees vacant.

Chairman Harry Angping and his four commissioners, Akiko Thomson, Fr. Vic Uy, Jose Mundo and Eric Loretizo did not report for work yesterday since the circular called on all presidential appointees “are deemed separated from service” as of noon of June 30.

Angping and his commissioners tendered their resignations even before President Aquino’s inaugural last Wednesday, and had hoped to hold on to their positions until their replacements are announced by Malacañang.

Now, they are left with no choice but to follow the controversial circular.

“The chairman and his commissioners have stopped reporting for work,” said Atty. Paul Vega, the PSC legal counsel. He identified Merly Ibay as the acting executive director who’s now running the PSC’s day-to-day affairs.

A PSC official who asked not to be identified said the Malacañang circular was “confusing” in the sense that it was not agency specific, and that there are “peculiarities” in every government agency.

“It was too generalized,” said the source, explaining that things would have been smoother if all presidential appointees with coterminous status were asked to hold on to their positions until July 31.