Office of the Vice President

17 August 2017

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday underscored the need for transparency in the decisions made by the Commission on Appointments.

VP Leni issued the comment a day after the bicameral body rejected the appointment of Judy Taguiwalo as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Mas gugustuhin sana natin na mas transparent din iyong process, mas alam natin kung bakit na-reject,” she said at the “Freedom Cycle” press conference in Naga City.

The Vice President also noted the importance of the public voicing its concerns—and if need be, outrage—over decisions made by the body.

“Tingin ko kasi, iyong frustration kasi nanggagaling doon… Iyong alam mo na iyong pinaglalaban nitong taong ito, iyon din iyong pinaglalaban mo, and yet hindi siya pumasa sa proseso,” she added. “[M]ahalaga din na kapag may ganitong nangyayari, nag-e-express tayo ng outrage, para iyong mga tao naman o opisina na binigyan ng mandate, parang nako-call out iyong attention nila, na hindi naaabuso iyong mandatong ibinigay sa kanila.”

Taguiwalo, who was nominated by the Left, was the third Duterte Cabinet member to be rejected by the CA, after former secretaries Perfecto Yasay (Foreign Affairs) and Gina Lopez (Environment and Natural Resources). At least 13 CA members voted for her rejection, following a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

The decision came in light with the “three strikes, you’re out” rule of the CA, which had bypassed her twice.

While not all may agree with the decision, VP Leni acknowledged that rejection of Cabinet appointments is part of the democratic process.

“Iyong confirmation kasi is a political process, ‘di ba? It is meant as a check-and-balance mechanism para doon sa power ng Pangulo to appoint,” said the Vice President.

“Ito iyong mga malulungkot na dahilan, ito iyong malulungkot na resulta noong check-and-balance process na iyon. Puwede tayong magpahayag ng ating outrage. Puwede tayong magpahayag ng ating frustration kung bakit nangyayari ito. But at the end of the day, ito iyong proseso. Ito iyong democratic institutions working, so kailangang igalang,” she said.