3 Cabinet execs’ papers submitted for CA confirmation

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has submitted its picks for three Cabinet positions to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for confirmation.

The three, whose papers have been sent to the CA, are Teodoro Locsin Jr. of foreign affairs, Rolando Joselito Bautista of social welfare and development and Eduardo Año of the interior and local government.

Their appointments are dated Oct. 11 for Locsin, Oct. 17 for Bautista and Nov. 5 for Año.

Since President Duterte appointed them while Congress was in recess, their designations are considered ad interim and are effective until the next adjournment of the legislative department next month.

In contrast, regular appointments are issued while Congress is in session and are effective when confirmed by the CA. Interim appointments take effect immediately.

The CA requires appointees to submit their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth and other documents.

The CA also publishes appointments and invites critics to file their opposition.

Duterte has appointed at least three more Cabinet-ranked officials, but they are not subject to CA confirmation, including former Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, who is now Cabinet secretary.

Honasan, DICT chief

But those who head departments are subject to CA confirmation, like appointee-in-waiting Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

Honasan, according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, will be appointed secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). 

Honasan will replace acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio, who presided over the selection of a third telecommunications company that would compete with dominant players PLDT-Smart and Globe Telecom to bring down the cost of telecommunication services.

Honasan assumes his new post at the DICT next week, coinciding with the resumption of session of Congress, Sotto said yesterday.

“I hope I’m not preempting the Palace or Greg (Honasan) but it has been discussed so that the appointment will not be ad interim,” Sotto told the Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

“When we resume (session) next week, (Honasan) will still be at the Senate,” he said.

Sotto said he, Honasan and Sen. Panfilo Lacson met with Duterte on Oct. 29. Also present were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and former special assistant Christopher Go.

“It has been sometime already that there was an offer from the Palace to invite (Honasan) to head the DICT. It was put off because we are thinking that we need (Greg) in the Senate,” Sotto added.

 Sotto explained that while Honasan is not tech-savvy, he will be an asset since national security remains a primordial concern of the DICT.

Sotto expects Honasan to breeze through his confirmation process at the CA, being a member of Congress and a member of the appointments body.

Honasan, Sotto said, will not interfere in the ongoing process to select a third telecommunications firm to enter the industry.

Meanwhile, Honasan faces graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged misuse of P30 million of his pork barrel funds.

Charged with Honasan are former officers of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, led by Mehol Sadain.

The President has said he would fire any official even on a hint of corruption. – With Paolo Romero