PPP Party-list Rep. Harold Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte have filed House Bill No. 9298, a measure seeking to clarify and strengthen existing constitutional provisions on the President’s power of appointment.
The bill emphasizes the importance of the Commission on Appointments’ role in providing checks and balances in key government appointments. The legislation prohibits the appointment of officials in an acting capacity for positions requiring Commission confirmation while Congress is in session, addressing concerns about potential abuses of executive power.
Rep. Duterte emphasized in the explanatory note that, under the 1987 Constitution (Section 16, Article VII), the President’s power to appoint is critical to the continuous operation of government services. However, the bill addresses a growing concern regarding the misuse of acting appointments, which undermines the core principles of transparency and accountability enshrined in the Constitution.
The proposed legislation seeks to presementerve the constitutional intent of safeguarding government operations while curbing practices that bypass the approval process of the Commission on Appointments.
The drafting and introduction of this bill underscore the legislature’s commitment to ensuring that government appointments remain transparent, accountable, and compliant with constitutional mandates.
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