GMA reappoints 2 more officials bypassed by CA

President Arroyo has reappointed two officials of two other constitutional bodies, whom Congress had bypassed before it adjourned last month.

They are Commissioner Reynaldo Villar of the Commission on Audit and Commissioner Cesar Buenaflor of the Civil Service Commission.

Villar takes over from Commissioner Raul Flores, while Buenaflor replaces Commissioner Jose Erestain Jr.

Mrs. Arroyo issued the reappointments of Villar and Buenaflor on June 30 when she was sworn into office for a fresh six-year mandate.

On the same day, Mrs. Arroyo had reappointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioners Virgilio Garcillano and Manuel Barcelona, who were also bypassed by Congress.

The four were each named to a term of seven years, or up to Feb. 2, 2011.

However, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Mrs. Arroyo can only make ad interim appointments of officials in the executive department while Congress is not in session, not members of constitutional bodies like Comelec, COA and CSC.

In response, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Malacañang is confident the appointments will meet legal requirements as Mrs. Arroyo’s legal advisers had carefully gone through them.

"We will not go into legal details, but I assure that these appointments have been carefully screened," he said.

Bunye said the appointment papers of Villar, Buenaflor, Garcillano and Barcelona have already been transmitted to the heads of the concerned constitutional body.

When Congress resumes session on July 23, Mrs. Arroyo would send their appointment papers to the Commission on Appointments, along with those of other new presidential appointees, he added. –Marichu Villanueva