MANILA, Philippines — Several senators formally took their oath on Tuesday as the newest members of the Commission on Appointments, following recent leadership changes in the Senate that also reshuffled the chamber’s representation in the CA.
Among those joining the CA are Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Lito Lapid. They replaced now-Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa.
During the session, Sen. Loren Legarda was elected as assistant majority leader, while Sen. Joel Villanueva was chosen as the new minority leader.
Prior to his ouster as Senate’s majority leader earlier this month, Villanueva was the CA’s assistant majority leader. Sen. Risa Hontiveros remains a CA member but she preceded Villanueva as minority leader of the panel.
The Senate and the House typically choose 12 members each to sit in the CA. The Senate President is ex-officio chairman of the CA but is not included in the count for the Senate contingent to the panel.
The Senate’s new contingent following Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s election now includes Senators Lacson, Lapid, Legarda, Villanueva, Hontiveros, JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, Mark Villar, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos and Jinggoy Estrada.
The House’s composition in the panel did not change despite the change in leadership in the chamber.
Last Aug. 26, the 25-person panel elected Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo as majority leader while Pangasinan 5th District Rep. Ramon Guico Jr. was elected CA vice chair.
Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin is still assistant majority leader while Alan Ty and Tonypet Albano have been retained as assistant minority leaders.
The CA, composed of members of both chambers of Congress, is mandated under the 1987 Constitution to confirm or reject key presidential appointments, including Cabinet secretaries, ambassadors and senior military officers.
As of today, the CA is set to deliberate on 51 nominations and appointments, including the ad interim appointments of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin and Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla.