Senator Ping Lacson. ALEXIS CORPUZ/ INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The President’s remark that lobby money prevailed in Gina Lopez’s rejection as Environment Secretary was a “sweeping assault” on the integrity of the Commission on Appointments (CA) and its members, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Friday.
On Wednesday, the CA rejected Lopez’s appointment as Secretary of Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“Sayang si Gina. I really like her passion. But you know how it is. This is democracy and lobby money talks. I do not control everything. I am the head of the executive department, the President. Congress is controlled by the Senate President and the Speaker, the lower house and the upper house,” President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech on Thursday.
READ: Duterte on Lopez’s rejection: I do not control everything
Lacson, who voted against Lopez, called Duterte’s remark “unfortunate” and “uncalled for.”
“While I am sure the President’s ‘[lobby money] talks’ comment does not apply to me and I have already cited my reasons for rejecting Ms. Lopez, I think it is unfortunate if not inappropriate and uncalled for,” the senator said in a text message.
“It is a sweeping assault not only on the integrity of the members of the CA who voted for rejection but the CA itself, being an independent constitutional body.”
“I am almost sure, those members who are his staunchest allies in both houses of Congress, I’m sure, will not cast their votes without first seeking his guidance. Just to be clear, I am not referring to myself in this regard,” added Lacson, who is part of the majority bloc in the Senate.
In a statement on Thursday, the senator explained why he did not vote for Lopez’s confirmation.
“Confirmation of a presidential appointee or nominee, especially a Cabinet member, by the Commission on Appointments always follows two basic criteria: fitness and qualification. Passion and enthusiasm do not automatically translate into the two criteria,” he said.
“Ms. Regina Paz Lopez obviously has a lot of passion and enthusiasm, but evidently, in my own observation and analysis of her performance during the entire confirmation proceedings, she is not fit for the job nor is she qualified.”
“Worse, she admittedly arrogated unto herself the authority which is not prescribed under the existing laws of the land. That makes her potentially dangerous as a department head. Further, she has authoritarian tendencies,” Lacson said.
READ: ‘Authoritarian tendencies’ a reason behind Lacson’s vote vs Lopez
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, meanwhile, said the public perception on Lopez’s rejection by the CA “would not have been as bad” if some of its members, who had interests in mining, took his advice:
“But here you have the head of the HOR (House of Representatives) contingent, Vice Chairman of the powerful CA, also part owner of one of the biggest mining firms in the country,” Ejercito said in a separate text.
The senator, who voted for Lopez’s confirmation was apparently referring to San Juan Representative Ronaldo Zamora.
“A little delicadeza would have changed the perception,” Ejercito added. IDL/rga