Ruling on chief justice issue doesn’t cover executive appointments - SC

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can appoint the next chief justice but not any official in the executive department until she steps down from Malacañang on June 30, a Supreme Court official said on Sunday. SC administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez made the statement in connection with the recent appointment of business tycoon Alfonso Yuchengco as Philippine Ambassador to Germany. He said that based on the March 17 ruling by the court, President Arroyo has no authority to appoint people to various posts outside of the SC. “The SC decision as concurred in by nine justices, and which is not yet final, only exempts appointments to the SC from the ban." Marquez said that this means Malacañang is still precluded from making appointments or dismissals pursuant to the election ban under Section 15, Article VII of the Constitution. The appointment of Yuchengco and several others, including the entire boards of the National Museum and the National Historical Institute, were only made known to the public early last week. The Palace said the papers were signed before March 1, or before the election ban on appointments that started on March 10. Last March 17, nine of the 15 SC justices voted in favor of President Arroyo appointing the next chief justice, replacing Reynato Puno who will retire on May 17 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. The ruling is still subject to review via a motion for reconsideration by concerned parties. Aside from the appointment of Yuchengco, who replaced Delia Domingo-Albert, President Arroyo also named her aerobics instructor Cynthia Carreon as head of the Tourism Promotions Board, and Mark Lapid, eldest son of re-electionist Senator Lito Lapid, as chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. Also appointed was Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. president and chief executive officer Jose Ibazeta as officer-in-charge of the Department of Energy, following the resignation of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who accepted the nomination of party-list group 1-Utak. Former Manila International Airport Authority general manager Alfonso Cusi was named head of another newly created agency, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Among the top executives replaced were National Museum director Cora Alvina and Bureau of Animal Industry director Dave Catbagan. - KBK, GMANews.TV