PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reappointed four of his Cabinet Secretaries whose ad interim appointments have been bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) when Congress adjourned session on June 2.
Malacañang on Tuesday released the June 1 appointment letters of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Agrarian Secretary Rafael Mariano, Social Welfare Judy Taguiwalo, and Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial.
Based on the CA rules, an appointee is deemed bypassed if his or her appointment is not acted upon by the powerful commission when Congress adjourns session.
Cimatu was named by the President last May 5 as the replacement of Regina Paz “Gina” Lopez after her ad interim appointment as head of Department of Environment and Natural Resources had been rejected with finality due to her decision to cease operations of 23 mining firms.
Ubial drew flak over her proposal to distribute condoms to schools while Mariano and Taguiwalo were both criticized for being members of leftist National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the President also signed the appointment papers of newly-elected government officials.
On June 28, Duterte tapped Abdulgani Macatoman as Trade Assistant Secretary; Jose Luis Montales and Sarah Lou Arriola as Foreign Affairs Undersecretaries; and Erwin Enad as member of Career Executive Service Board.
Duterte also approved the promotion of Police Senior Superintendent Graciano Mijares to the rank of Police Chief Superintendent; and Police Superintendents Joselio Imperial and Nelson Almoradie Aganon to Police Senior Superintendent rank.
Also promoted were Police Senior Superintendents Joseph Adnol, Edgardo Pamittan, Froilan Quidilla, Ramon Rafael, Gerardo Rosales, Israel Ephraim Dickson to the rank of Police Chief Superintendent.
Police Superintendents Esmeraldo Palomara Osia Jr., Baltazar Rivera, and Villamor Tuliao were also promoted to Police Senior Superintendent rank.
The Chief Executive on July 3 appointed Nestor Espenilla Jr. as governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) until July 2, 2023. Also appointed as BSP Monetary Board members were Peter Favila, Felipe Medalla, and Antonio Abacan Jr. (VoxPop Philippines)