MANILA, Philippines - Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo and two other Cabinet members will have to endure longer “torture,” as she described their 11-month wait and mental anguish, as the Commission on Appointments (CA) has kept them in limbo.
Taguiwalo, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial are officially bypassed today, the official start of the annual mandatory adjournment of Congress before the next regular session.
“President Duterte can reappoint them again, if he wishes to. The reappointments will be submitted to the CA and we will tackle them when we reconvene,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, who is CA majority leader, said yesterday.
Albano said the commission ran out of time to conduct hearings and make a decision on the appointments of the three remaining unconfirmed Cabinet members.
The three have been bypassed several times. Bypassing takes place when Congress takes a recess. Under its calendar of sessions, there are breaks after the national budget is passed, and for the Halloween, Christmas and Lenten periods. There is also the June mandatory adjournment. Congress will reconvene on July 24.
Last month, Taguiwalo was so exasperated that she described their long wait as a form of torture. She said the CA has to make a decision one way or the other.
The commission has rejected two appointments – those of Perfecto Yasay Jr. as foreign affairs chief and Regina Lopez as environment secretary.