MANILA – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed on Wednesday four new members of her Cabinet to replace those deemed resigned by the Supreme Court (SC) because they are running for elective positions in the May 10 polls, Malacanang announced.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who was one of those replaced, said the appointments were in compliance with a decision, reaffirmed by the SC on Tuesday, that these officials are considered automatically resigned when they filed their certificates of candidacy in November.
Ermita, who is running for Congress in his home province of Batangas in Southern Luzon, said he would be replaced by Secretary Leandro Mendoza of the Department of Transportation and Communications.
Ermita is a retired military general while Mendoza retired as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who supported the Edsa 11 People Power revolution in January 2001 that resulted in the ouster of president Joseph Estrada and the takeover of Malacanang by then vice president Arroyo.
The three other new Cabinet officials, Ermita said, are Solicitor General Alberto Agra who will take over the Department of Justice; Elena Bautista, the administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority as the new head of the Presidential Management Staff; and Jake Lagonera, the senior deputy executive secretary, as the new secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.
Agra replaces Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera who is running for Congress in Quezon province, Southern Luzon; Bautista for Secretary Hermogenes Esperon who is running for Congress in Pangasinan province, Northern Luzon; and Lagonera for Secretary Rolando Andaya Junior who is running for Congress in Camarines Sur province in the Bicol Region.
On Monday, Malacanang earlier announced that President Arroyo has appointed Undersecretary Bernardo Fondevilla as the new chief of the Department of Agriculture. replacing Secretary Arthur Yap who is running for Congress in the island province of Bohol in the Visayas.
Malacanang added that due to the High Court decision, the President would also soon announce replacements for the other Cabinet members affected by the High Court decision.
Malacanang said President Arroyo gave herself no later than March 10 to replace the affected government officials in compliance with the SC ruling.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voted 10-5 and denied with finality a motion for the tribunal to reconsider its decision as it stressed it would no longer entertain similar pleadings on the issue.
Lawyer Midas Marquez, the SC spokesman and court administrator, warned appointive officials against remaining in their posts despite the finality of the decision.
Retired SC Justice Jose Melo, the chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also announced they would take legal action against officials who refuse to comply with the decision.
Melo said penalties include disqualification from holding public office well as imprisonment of from one to six years and deprivation of the right of suffrage, or the right to vote.
Loading ...
Reader’s Views