Officials running in May polls urged to resign

Calls for the resignation of Cabinet officials who are seeking elective posts in the May elections grew louder Tuesday, a day after the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling allowing appointive officials to keep their posts despite their candidacy. “This is no longer a matter of legal technicality. Since the Supreme Court had spoken, these officials must now comply with the order to show the electorate that they are still capable to harbor self-respect," said re-electionist Senator Franklin Drilon. Rep. Neri Colmenares of the left-leaning party-list group Bayan Muna said “political, constitutional and even moral considerations" dictate that the Cabinet officials concerned leave their posts immediately. Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) said the initiative should come from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who he said should order the affected officials to resign. “The order must come from the top, especially if the decision of the SC is not yet final and executory. They [officials] cannot just pack their bags and leave. They turn to the appointing authority for guidance and President Arroyo should give it to them," he said.

Affected officials Incumbent Cabinet officials seeking seats in the House of Representatives are Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera (Quezon, 1st district), Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita (Batangas, 1st district), Presidential Management Staff head Hermogenes Esperon (Pangasinan, 6th district), and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap (Bohol, 3rd district). Chief legal counsel Raul Gonzalez, meanwhile, is running for mayor of Iloilo City. In Malacañang, Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. said several of these officials are already planning to vacate their posts even though the SC has not issued a final decision. “Palagay ko, whether or not there is a Supreme Court decision, maybe na-advance na ang [kanilang resignation]," he told reporters in Albay. He said Ermita is one of those planning to resign soon, and that Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza is one of those being considered as his replacement. Effect on government programs Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar, however, said the immediate resignation of Yap may disrupt the implementation of several government programs. “Yan ang sinasabi ko maaring may disruption. Halimbawa si Secretary Yap, yung pag-handle ng outstanding items kung sakaling pilit pababain, isang problema yan na kailangan i-address," Olivar said in an interview on dzXL radio. (There may be a disruption of ongoing government programs. An example is Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap. Handling issues that may result from their forced resignation will have to be addressed.) Icban said President Arroyo has already started considering possible replacements of the affected officials. - KBK, GMANews.TV