Monday, March 17, 2008 Palace defends military officers' promotions
DEPUTY Presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said the military officers whose confirmations were blocked by Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal during last week's hearing at the Commission on Appointments (CA) earned their promotions "through their hard work and dedication to service."
Fajardo said politics or even abuse of authority should not play a role in the future confirmation of officials, be it the military, Cabinet, ambassadors, or other appointees, and they are hoping it would stay that way.
CA majority leader and Agusan del Sur Representative Rodolfo Plaza proposed the imposition of sanctions against members of the body who would abuse their position and exercise of power.
Plaza made the recommendation after Madrigal invoked Section 20 of the CA rules, which stops the confirmation of a nominee without being questioned or required to explain.
Madrigal, who vowed to continue to invoke Section 20 until the CA is rid of supposed "deeply-rooted corruption," invoked Section 20 during the confirmation of 25 military officers, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Election Commissioner Moslemen Macarambon, last March 12.
Fajardo said Malacañang is leaving it to the CA to handle their affairs including the possible sanctioning of their members.
She said Plaza, as a respected member of the CA, is in the best position to recommend such actions "that would limit perceived abuses and or politicking in the Commission on Appointments".
"We only hope that similar incidents do not make part of the CA's order of business and the said incidents do not derail the confirmation of our men in uniform who have earned their ranks and stars by virtue of their hard work and dedication for service to our people," she added. (JMR/Sunnex)
