CA sets July confirmation of Teodoro and Herbosa

THE Commission on Appointments (CA) will tackle the appointment papers of G ilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as Secretary of the Department of National Defense and Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa as Secretary of the Department of Health when session reopens in July, a CA assistant m inority leader said on Tuesday.

According to Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, Malacañang has already delivered to the b icameral CA the appointment of Teodoro and Herbosa.

Pimentel said the first regular session of the 19th Congress a djourned last June 3, and the second session won’t commence until July 24.

The second regular session of the 19th Congress will open on July 24, the same day of the second State of the Nation Address of t he President.

“The June 6 ad interim appointment papers of the two Cabinet s ecretaries were both received by the CA on June 8,” Pimentel said.

“The CA won’t be able to tackle their appointments for now because Congress is adjourned. We a re not in session,” Pimentel said. The 25-member CA is vested by the 1987 Constitution with the power to screen the competence, fitness and integrity of key presidential appointees, and to approve or disapprove these.

Under the Constitution, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is em powered to issue key appointments, while Congress is not in session, and such appointments are c alled ad interim appointments.

“An ad interim appointment has immediate effect. Thus, the individuals who were issued ad interim appointments may enter upon the discharge of their functions right away,” Pimentel said.

A n ad interim appointment ceases to be valid upon disapproval by the CA or, if not confirmed, u ntil the next adjournment of Congress, according to Pimentel.

Teodoro served as defense secretary under president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, from 2007 to 2009.

Herbosa served as health undersecretary under the late president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III f rom 2010 to 2015.

“The CA has also received the nomination papers of Mersole Mellejor as Philippine ambassador to Nigeria, with concurrent jurisdiction over 12 other Central and West African countries, along with the interim appointment papers of Raquel Solano as Chief of Mission, Class II,” Pimentel said.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the following presidential appointees or nominees are subject to CA c onfirmation: Heads of executive departments, Ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, Officers of the Armed Forces from t he rank of colonel or naval captain, Regular members of the Judicial and Bar Council and Chairpersons and Commissioners of t he Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, and the Commission on Audit.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz