Zubiri urges CA to give new prexy ‘free hand’ for appointing gov’t execs
SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel Migz Zubiri on Monday recommended to the Commission on Appointment (CA) to give the incoming President a “free hand” to choose members of the constitutional commission and offices.
Quoting former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Zubiri stressed that it is reasonable that the incoming administration should pick its officials.
Zubiri said that in February 2016, Enrile invoked Sec. 20 of the CA rules and explained that the appointment by the outgoing President would deprive the incoming President of the free hand to choose the people he would want to represent him.
“I tell you, ambassadors deployed abroad are representatives of the President. It would be unfair to the next President if these people are appointed by the outgoing President,” Zubiri said.
Zubiri noted that late former President Benigno Aquino III gave the incoming Duterte administration a “free hand to choose the choices of his Constitutional Commissions.”
On Monday, the CA panel decided to defer the confirmation hearing for Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan, Comelec Commissioners Aimee Neri and George Garcia, and Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Rizalino Justol and Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chair Karlo Alexi Nograles.
The panel decided to reschedule the hearing for Wednesday, June 1.
