Palace: SC reminder on midnight appointments ‘unnecessary’

A Malacañang spokesperson on Monday said the Supreme Court did not have to remind President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the constitutional ban on appointments two months before the May 10 elections. In a radio interview, deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas maintained that the supposed last-minute appointments by Mrs. Arroyo were made before March 10, when the restricted period began. "The committee that makes recommendations for appointments and promotions ended its work last March 4 because the president was conscious of the March 10 deadline. She signed their appointments before March 10," Planas told dzXL radio in Filipino. For his part, Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said what happened after March 10 were mostly transmittals, acceptances and turnover ceremonies. Agra said this included the replacement of Delia Albert by business tycoon Alfonso Yuchengco as Philippine Ambassador to Germany. He said that in Albert’s case, "the transmittal came after March 10, but what is prohibited by March 10 is the appointment." Last Sunday, the Supreme Court reminded Malacañang that it cannot use the court’s recent ruling on the appointment of the next Chief Justice in justifying Mrs. Arroyo’s mass appointments and dismissals in the executive department. [See:Ruling on chief justice issue doesn’t cover executive appointments - SC] Court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the March 17 decision of the High Court allowing President Arroyo to appoint the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno did not necessarily give her the authority to appoint other government officials during the period covered by the election appointments ban. Aside from Yuchengco’s appointment, 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. — with Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV