MANILA, Philippines – Hinalal ng Senado ang unang batch ng mga senador na uupo bilang miyembro ng makapangyarihang Commission on Appointments (CA).
Sa plenary session, pinangalanang contingent ng Senado sa bicameral commission sina Senador Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Macoleta, Imee Marcos, Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, at Mark Villar.
Pansamantalang iniurong naman ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang kanyang nominasyon para magbigay-daan sa mas marami pang representasyon ng Senate minority bloc sa CA.
“I will withdraw for today and then maybe in a day or two, the minority will be able to also, with us, come up with a consensus on the right representation of the 12-member, 12-man and woman contingent of the Senate, plus of course the Senate president as the chair of the Commission on Appointments,” ani Cayetano.
Ito ay kasunod ng pagkwestyon ni Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III questioned sa hakbang ni Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva na maghalal ng 10 senador ng majority bloc sa komisyon.
“The last word I know is that the Supreme Court has decided that if there’s controversy in the composition … it is very clear that the Senate must follow the party lines and the party representation,” ani Sotto.
“So if this body elects to follow the SC decision on the articles of impeachment, why can’t they follow the decision of the SC when it comes to computation of membership in CA?” dagdag pa niya.
Aniya, umaasa ang minority ng “more cooperation or better treatment” from the majority bloc.
“We’re trying to do our best to treat you [good] as well because we can make it harder for you, if this is what you want. Kaya we’re expecting, you know, something better. Kaunting pakisamahan naman dito—it’s been that way since before,” sinabi pa ni Sotto.
Samantala, ipinaliwanag naman ni Villanueva na ang computation ay batay sa 80-20 representation mula sa majority at minority.
“80% of 12 members would be equal to 9.6 members which may be rounded up to 10 members. 20% of 12 members would equal to 2.4 members which rounded out to 2,” sinabi pa ng Senate majority leader.
Sa ilalim ng Article 6, Section 18 ng 1987 Constitution, sinasabi na ang CA ay dapat binubuo ng Senate President, bilang ex officio Chairman, 12 senador, at 12 miyembro ng Kamara na hinahalal ng bawat Kapulungan sa batayan ng proportional representation mula sa political parties at partido o organisasyon na nakarehistro sa ilalim ng party-list system na inirerepresenta nito.
Binibigyang mandato ang CA na mag-apruba o kumontra sa appointment na gagawin ng Pangulo.
Ang tungkulin ng komisyon “forms part of the very delicate mechanism of checks and balances established by the Constitution to ensure that the coordinate departments of the government will function in a way that will be most conducive to the public welfare.” RNT/JGC
