Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines— Malacañang said that President Rodrigo Duterte would reappoint three Cabinet secretaries which were bypassed by the Commission on Appointment.
“The President’s trust and confidence in the Cabinet secretaries bypassed remain undiminished,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
The CA, earlier this week, bypassed the confirmation of appointments of Department of Environment Secretary Gina Lopez and three other Cabinet members namely: Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial.
Abella said: “We expect that they will be reappointed to continue serving their posts.”
All three alter-egos of the President failed to get the CA’s nod before Congress will go on recess.
For instance, DENR’s Lopez stance on mining earned a strong objection from several mines after she ordered the closure and suspension of various mines across the country for failing to pass the agency’s mining audit.
Two other Cabinet secretaries identified with the political Left —Taguiwalo and Mariano—have also dealt several issues on their respective posts such as the relief operations of the government and the implementation of agrarian reform.
Ubial faced opposition because of her stance on the condom distribution to public schools.
Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Ariel “Ka Ayik” Casilao said the two secretaries were genuinely pushing for “pro-people” governance, but are “facing opposition from powerful politicians with vested interests.”
“Ka Paeng Mariano’s confirmation is being opposed by landlords, while Ma’am Judy Taguiwalo’s by patronage politicians, this spotlighted contradiction exposes how powerful and influential, the sectors whose interests are contrary to the majority of the people,” Casilao said.
He added that even the confirmation of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez’ is being opposed by government officials who are entrenched in plundering the country’s natural resources through mining operations.
While Palace has reassured of their reappointment to their selective posts, the fate of the three bypassed Cabinet secretaries, would be at the mercy of the CA and likely to face rejection should in case their appointments were bypassed three times.
Under its so-called “three-strike policy,” the CA could decide on the fate of the Presidential appointees in an attempt to scrub down the practice of the President to repeatedly reappoint the same government officials bypassed by the CA. (davaotoday.com)
