Malacañang on Thursday defended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s practice of appointing acting Cabinet secretaries, asserting that the chief executive is acting fully within his legal authority and constitutional prerogative.
The Palace issued the clarification after Senator Imee Marcos publicly questioned her brother’s decision to name several agency heads in an acting capacity rather than making ad-interim or permanent appointments that would subject the officials to mandatory confirmation hearings before the Commission on Appointments (CA).
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro maintained during a news briefing that the presidential appointments remain compliant with existing laws.
“That is the President’s prerogative, and the President follows the law,” Castro said in Filipino, stressing that the administration has committed no legal violations. “For now, the appointment of acting secretaries remains in accordance with the law.”
Castro cited Presidential Communications Office (PCO) chief Dave Gomez as an example of an interim appointee, noting that he has been serving in that capacity since July 10.
While the 1987 Constitution mandates that Cabinet secretaries appointed by the president require the consent of the bicameral Commission on Appointments, it also empowers the chief executive to designate officials in an acting capacity to prevent governance disruptions and temporarily fill vacant executive portfolios until a permanent nomination is submitted.