Duterte has shortlist of nominees to replace retiring officials

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles says there’s a shortlist of nominees for positions that will be vacted in the Comelec, CSC, and COA.

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte now has a shortlist of nominees for positions in the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Commission on Audit (COA) which will be vacated on Feb. 2, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Monday.

Comelec Chair Sheriff Abas and Commissioners Rowena Guanzon and Antonio Kho Jr., as well as CSC Chair Alicia dela Rosa-Bala and COA Chair Michael Aguinaldo, are due to retire on Wednesday upon the completion of their seven-year terms under the Constitution.

Up to CA

Nograles, in a press briefing, said that the appointments would be made “as soon as possible.”

“The president, of course, knows that he needs to make the appointments for the vacancies and of course it will depend on the confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA), on how fast they can confirm the appointments,” he added.

It is likely that the president will make the appointments after Congress adjourns on Feb. 5, since the CA, which is composed of members of both houses of Congress, will not have enough time to screen and approve the appointees.

‘Internal issues’

Appointments to the constitutional commissions while Congress is in session are called regular appointments. The appointee may begin serving in office while awaiting confirmation by the CA.

If the CA fails to act on the appointment before Congress adjourns, the appointee is deemed bypassed but may be reappointed by the President on an “ad interim” basis and continue serving.

Congress will resume session on May 23.

Asked to comment on the tensions in the Comelec, which is due to decide the disqualification cases against former senator and presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Nograles said Malacañang was “confident that they can address whatever internal issues or concerns, if any, that they have and we are confident that they will be able to resolve [them] based [on] and using their own internal protocols, rules, and procedures.”

“[Comelec is] an independent constitutional body and [its members] have their own internal rules and regulations that govern them,” he added.