Palace: Next EO to target midnight appointments

After signing his first executive order that focuses on alleged acts of corruption in the previous administration, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s next EOs will target, among other issues, the so-called midnight appointments of his predecessor. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Saturday said the next EOs, which are not numbered yet, might be signed and released in the coming week. “I cannot say the numbers, but may mga EO na ukol sa midnight appointments, Communications Group, at may iba pang ilalabas. Nag-usap kami ni Executive Secretary Ochoa kahapon tungkol diyan (I have talked to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. Friday. The next EOs will involve midnight appointments, the Communications Group, and other issues)," he said on government-run dzRB radio. But he did not give details of the contents of the EOs, particularly the one involving midnight appointments. During the presidential campaign, Aquino vowed to go after so-called midnight appointments made by his predecessor and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. On Friday, Malacañang announced the signing of EO 1, which created the Truth Commission that will look into alleged irregularities involving corruption in the Arroyo administration. “Hopefully by next week, today is Saturday, so next week. I don’t know if it’s Monday but napag-aralan ang midnight appointments at Communications Group, so yan lalabas next week (We hope the EOs will come out next week. I don’t know if we can do so on Monday, but we have already studied on the midnight appointments and the Communications Group)," he said.— LBG, GMANews.TV