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By Efren L. Danao Senior
Reporter
The Commission on Appointments is
virtually useless because President Arroyo continually reappoints
Cabinet officials who get bypassed, Sen. Francis Escudero said on
Thursday.
In a roundtable with Manila Times
editors, columnists and editors, Escudero noted that many Cabinet
members were still holding office without being confirmed by the
Commission on Appointments.
He cited the case of Secretary
Angelo Reyes who was never confirmed as head of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources. Reyes has been transferred to the
Department of Energy. Budget Secretary Romulo Neri had not been
confirmed either.
Escudero said the CA has no teeth
because officials who get bypassed even five or more times get
reappointed each time.
“We should follow the former
practice of replacing an appointee who had been bypassed two
times,” he proposed.
The CA never got to consider the
appointment of some Cabinet members because the appointees never
submitted their complete documents to the bicameral body. Some
controversial appointees deliberately delay the submission of their
documents.
One former Cabinet member was not
controversial but she delayed her appearance before the CA because
she did not want to be flooded with requests by the members and even
by their friends.
Escudero said he agrees with the
suggestions that promotion of officers of the Coast Guard and the
Philippine National Police to the equivalent military rank of
colonel should be subject to confirmation by the CA.
The Coast Guard, which was
formerly with the Navy, claims it is a civilian entity despite its
officers’ holding military ranks. The Civil Service Commission
also ruled that the PNP is a mere bureau of the Department of the
Interior and Local Government, so its officers are not subject to
confirmation.
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