CA bypasses Ruiz, Aguda, Marciano

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda will need fresh appointments from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

This was stressed by Assistant Majority Leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA) Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday, the last session day of the powerful constitutional body.

“We adjourned the session today, the last session of the Commission on Appointments. They will all be bypassed and they would be needing reappointment from the President,” Villanueva said in an ambush interview.

The CA adjourned without acting on the ad interim appointments of Ruiz and Aguda, as well as Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Director General Joel Marciano Jr.

Ruiz and Aguda were scheduled to face the CA on 3 June, along with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon. Only Dizon’s appointment was recommended by the CA transportation panel and confirmed by the full body the next day.

Aguda’s appointment was deferred due to a “lack of material time.” The CA said it would resume deliberations on his appointment “until further notice.”

Ruiz’s appointment was not taken up at all, not even at the panel level.

Marciano’s confirmation was earlier deferred in February, after failing to convince the CA of his competence to head the PhilSA, which was established in 2019.

Under Section 17, Chapter V of the CA rules, any nomination or appointment not acted upon by the end of a session is considered bypassed and returned to the President. Unless reappointed, such nominations will not be reconsidered by the Commission.