The statement of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that he will “give” the nomination papers of his running mate and presumptive vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio as the next Education secretary to the Commission on Appointments (CA) needs context.
STATEMENT
In a six-minute media appearance on May 11, Marcos, the only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., announced that he has started discussing with his advisers the people he will appoint to the Cabinet and other government offices once proclaimed as the country’s next president.
Marcos, who was a member of the CA during his Senate stint, said:
“… I think I am already authorized … to announce the first nominee that we will be giving to the Commission on Appointments when the time comes should I be proclaimed. And that is that our incoming vice president (Duterte-Carpio) has agreed to take the brief of [the] Department of Education.”
Source: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. official Facebook page, LIVE: Presumptive president Bongbong Marcos makes a statement, May 11, 2022, watch from 4:40 to 5:08
Based on the ongoing partial and unofficial vote count, both Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio are leading in the presidential and vice presidential races with over 31 million votes each. Congress, acting as the board of canvassers for the top two executive positions, will begin canvassing the votes on May 24 and eventually proclaim the winners in the recently concluded May 9 polls.
FACT
Section 3, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution specifically states that the vice president, if appointed to a Cabinet position, is exempted from the scrutiny of the CA, which is mandated to approve or disapprove appointments made by the president.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
