Tugade faces CA hurdle

MANILA, Philippines – Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is expected to face opposition in the Commission on Appointments (CA) owing to complaints regarding the way he runs his department as well as his failure to address the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other urban areas.

The bicameral body will closely scrutinize the reports and documents received by the CA on Tugade, a lawmaker who is a member of the CA said yesterday.

Various groups have been calling for Tugade’s resignation as chief of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“There will be some difficulties for him in the CA,” the lawmaker, who refused to be named, said in a telephone interview.

The Senate committee on public services is hard-pressed to come up with a draft bill granting President Duterte emergency powers before the end of the month as the proposals submitted by the DOTr need overhaul.

Tugade has not attended the hearings on the emergency powers conducted by the Senate panel chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.

Poe assured the public that the draft bill would contain safeguards to prevent corruption when the DOTr implements projects worth P3 trillion to P8 trillion.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III earlier said Tugade was considered bypassed by the CA after the bicameral body did not act on his appointment before Congress went on a two-week break last month.

“We will have to look into the complaints brought to the CA against Tugade before the members of the CA will decide on his fate,” Sotto said.

It is not clear if President Duterte has reappointed Tugade since he was bypassed by the CA.

Last week, the Road Users Protection Advocates (RUPA) urged lawmakers to defer the grant of emergency powers to Duterte until he has replaced Tugade.

RUPA’s Ray Junia said if Congress approved the measure, Tugade would be named traffic czar.

Junia said administration allies, including Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, are not satisfied with the performance of the transportation secretary.