No Comelec, COA appointees yet

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—It would be futile for President Benigno Aquino III to make appointments now to vacant top positions in executive agencies, including the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Commission on Audit (COA), with Congress set to adjourn for the Holy Week on March 21.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday he surmised that because of this, the President was not making the appointments and would just make ad interim appointments as in the past, after the Congressional adjournment.

“That has been done in the past in order to allow the appointee to immediately sit,’’ Drilon said.

When asked whether this could be the reason President Aquino has not made the appointments, he said that “could be a reason.’’ “And that’s a valid reason because right now he can’t appoint, he can only nominate.

The nominee cannot discharge functions until the consent of the Commission on Appointments (CA) is given,’’ he added.

Even if a nomination is made today, he also indicated there was not enough time for the CA to consider as the body has only two meetings until the adjournment on March 21.

The CA is set to meet on March 11 and 18, Drilon said.