Is Faeldon’s appointment as BuCor chief fake news?

Is the appointment of Deputy Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense Nicanor Faeldon to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) fake news?

On Monday, Faeldon, through his counsel lawyer Jose Diño Jr., clarified that he cannot assume his new position at BuCor because he has not received any notice from Malacañang.

Diño said Faeldon cannot assume a post to which he was not appointed to.

“To begin with, there was/is no appointment to speak of,” Diño said, noting that only Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has spoken about Faeldon’s supposed appointment.

“By tradition and practice, it is Malacañang, and not a Cabinet secretary, which announces official appointments. By tradition and practice, too, Malacañang does not announce a ‘proposed appointment’ but releases copies of officially signed appointments,” Diño said.

“In Capt. Faeldon’s alleged ‘proposed appointment,’ Malacañang has not confirmed the ‘news’ or ‘fake news’ being attributed to the DOJ Secretary,” he said.

Faeldon was supposed to replace Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa as head of the BuCor, following his filing of a certificate of candidacy to run for Senate.

The BuCor is one of the agencies attached to the DOJ.

Faeldon’s camp pointed out that Section 9 of Republic Act 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013, provides that Bucor’s director general should be appointed by the President.

Faeldon said that De la Rosa’s appointment as BuCor chief was issued in April but was released on May 3.

“In all of my pubic positions, I have no record at all of being a ‘no-show’ much less being a delinquent as I now being unfairly labeled…Wouldn’t I be the worst laughing stock public-office usurper if I assumed a position to which I was not appointed to?” Faeldon asked.

Faeldon was forced to issue a statement after Guevarra said he has no idea why Faeldon has not reported to his new position.

Guevarra said DOJ Assistant Secretary Melvin Ramon Buenafe, who is the BuCor deputy director general for security and operation, has been appointed as OIC of BuCor while waiting for Faeldon to assume the post.

He acknowledged though that Faeldon cannot assume the post, pending the release of his appointment papers.

“I just find it curious that he has not said anything about the President’s desire to appoint him. I supposed he’s just being prudent, maybe just waiting for the appointment process to be completed,” the DOJ secretary said. /ee

READ: Where is new BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon?