MASADA flags Recto’s ‘expired’ appointment

The Masa Sara Duterte Alliance (MASADA) on Monday questioned the status of the appointments of Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Acting Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, urging them to present proof of interim reappointment from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Benito Ranque, MASADA founding chairman, said Recto was appointed by the President on an ad interim basis on 19 November 2025 to replace Lucas Bersamin, a designation that required confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.

Ranque said Recto continues to perform key functions, including presiding over Cabinet meetings, leading discussions on the oil crisis, and meeting with stakeholders in Malacañang.

He raised questions on whether Recto is acting as a caretaker or assuming broader authority in the absence of the President, noting that a caretaker setup typically involves a temporary committee of Cabinet members led by the executive secretary during the President’s foreign trips.

Such arrangements, he said, are meant to ensure continuity of government operations but do not extend to major national security decisions.