THE Senate yesterday elected nine senators as members of the Commission on Appointments (CA).
The elected CA members were Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, and Mark Villar, who all belong to the majority bloc.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano was among those initially included in the elected CA members but asked the body that his name be withdrawn.
“May I propose this temporary measure just so that we’ll have more time to discuss the representation in the CA and the interpretation of the Supreme Court. May I ask that my name be withdrawn as a nominee for the CA so that the nine other members from the majority may be considered,” Cayetano said.
“I will withdraw for today and then maybe in a day or two, the minority will be able to also, with us, come up with a consensus on the right representation of the 12-member, 12 man and woman contingent of the Senate plus, of course, the Senate president,” he also said.
Minority leader Vicente Sotto III did not object to the proposal.
Hearing no objection to the election of the nine senators, Senate President Francis Escudero declared them CA members.
“The aforementioned members are elected to the Commission on Appointments subject to the caveat that the remaining members of the Commission on Appointments will be elected before the week is over, on Wednesday,” Escudero said.
Earlier in the plenary session, Sotto objected to the election of the 10 senators due to an issue on “proportional representation” from political parties and party organizations, which prompted Cayetano to withdraw his nomination.
The Senate contingent in the CA has 12 senators as members, and the Senate president acts as ex-officio chairman.
