Five appointees of outgoing President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in three constitutional bodies were bypassed by the Commission on Appointment (CA) on Wednesday, June 1.
The CA Committee on Constitutional Commissions adjourned the hearing on the appointments of the following officials due to a lack of quorum:
- Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justol
- Civil Service Commission Chairperson Karlo Alexei Nograles
- Commission on Elections Chairperson Saidamen Pangarungan
- Comelec Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri
- Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia
The decision also gives way for President-elect Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to appoint officials for the vacated positions.
The appointments of the five officials were technically bypassed by the bicameral commission as the CA can no longer hold hearings and plenary deliberations once Congress adjourns its sessions
Since they were bypassed, their appointments will only be effective until June 30 or until Duterte’s last day in office. Their terms were supposed to expire on February 2, 2029.
However, they can still be appointed by the next president since they were not rejected by the CA, but were merely bypassed.
Previously, the CA Committee on Constitutional Commissions and Offices postponed the Comelec officials’ confirmation hearing scheduled last May 25 due to the ongoing congressional canvassing at the time. It was again postponed on Monday.
