Lacson rebuts Marcoleta on generals' appointment: 'Di nila kasalanan nagkagulo sa Senado' — ANC

[0:00] Senator Ping Lakson is recognized. [0:02] Yes, Mr. Chairman. [0:03] Just for clarity, I believe and I was told by the Secretary of the Commission on Appointments [0:09] that the ad interim appointments of this fine gentleman and lady [0:14] is a mere submission of their previous ad interim appointments [0:19] given before the resumption, the May 25, 2026 resumption of the first regular session. [0:28] And since this is a special session, it is a continuation of the first regular session. [0:34] Therefore, hindi pa po sila pasok doon sa one-year ban. [0:39] Kasi hindi naman po nila kasalanan na nagkagulo-gulo kami din sa Senado [0:43] at hindi na take up yung kanilang confirmation. [0:47] So with that manifestation, Mr. Chairman, I move that we recommend to the plenary [0:54] the confirmation of the aforestated or aforementioned gentleman and lady in plenary. [1:04] I so move, Mr. Chairman. [1:07] There is, yes, Honorable Risa Antoveros. [1:11] Second the motion, Mr. Chair. [1:13] Any objection to the motion? [1:15] Julie seconded. [1:18] Mr. Chair. [1:20] Yes, Honorable Albano, it's recognized. [1:23] Mr. Chair, your honors on the part of the minority, [1:25] we place on record our full support for the confirmation of the five generals [1:29] and flag officers of the armed forces of the Philippines, [1:32] whose appointments are now under consideration. [1:36] These officers have rendered long and distinguished service to the nation. [1:40] As such, the minority supports the favorable confirmation of their appointments [1:44] and commends their dedication and sacrifices in their service to the Filipino people. [1:49] Mr. Chair, as the acting minority floor leader, [1:52] on behalf of the minority and the Filipino people, [1:55] we interposed all objections to their confirmation. [1:57] Thank you, Mr. Chair. [1:58] Mr. Chair, I did not get proper explanation on the concern that I raised before this committee. [2:07] I don't think we are in a position to violate an existing law. [2:12] What I heard is an assumption that was passed on to the Secretary of this Commission. [2:18] Somebody presumed that the appointment made last year is supposed to be continued. [2:25] May I ask the Secretary to explain that if that assumption is correct [2:30] and if that assumption is enough to override the clear provision of the law? [2:39] Honorable Laxon? [2:40] Again, I'd like to clarify, [2:42] hindi po last year, before May 25, 2026, [2:48] yung nag-resume tayo ng first regular session. [2:52] Kasi nag-break tayo, [2:54] bago tayo mag-resume, [2:54] they were given ad interim appointments by the President. [2:57] So, yung po yung ina-apply natin because a special session that we are having today [3:04] is a continuation of the first regular session, Mr. Chairman. [3:10] So, yung birthday nila fell after. [3:17] Kailan ang birthday mo, General? [3:19] May 14. [3:21] So, yung ad interim appointments were given before May 14, I suppose. [3:26] So, you confirmed that. [3:28] So, hindi ka covered ng one-year ban? [3:31] That's the clarification that I manifested earlier, Mr. Chairman. [3:36] How about the others? [3:38] Covered sila ng, [3:39] hindi sila covered ng one-year ban [3:41] when they were given their ad interim appointments [3:44] before May 25, di ba? [3:47] Kasi kung after May 25, [3:49] resumption, nomination, [3:51] at saka hindi na kayo mag-apply. [3:53] But since you were given [3:54] your ad interim appointments [3:56] since Congress was in recess at that time, [4:00] having resumed on May 25, [4:03] hindi po kayo mako-cover ng one-year ban. [4:05] That's my point. [4:06] So, I hope I satisfy [4:08] the query positive by [4:11] the Honorable Mark Coleta. [4:13] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [4:15] Well, Mr. Chair, [4:16] that is an assumption. [4:17] Somebody should explain from this committee [4:19] if that assumption is correct. [4:22] Because the law is the law. [4:25] They have just reached [4:26] their age of 56 [4:31] and they were bypassed. [4:33] That is a fact. [4:34] We cannot change that fact, [4:36] Mr. Chair. [4:38] That is the only point [4:40] that I'm trying to raise here. [4:42] Kasi maliwanag po yung sinasabi naming batas. [4:45] Wala po tayong personalan dito. [4:48] I hope that these five officers, [4:51] gusto ko rin naman sila [4:53] na mailagay natin [4:54] sa tamang ayos [4:56] ng kanilang confirmation. [4:58] But there is a hurdle here. [5:00] Yun lang ang problema rito, [5:02] Mr. Chair, [5:03] kasi maliwanag po yung sinasabi ng batas. [5:05] Lumilitaw, [5:06] after their compulsory retirement, [5:08] less than one year na eh. [5:10] As a matter of fact, [5:11] they were unable to submit [5:12] the documents for confirmation [5:14] only, [5:16] siguro, [5:18] hindi ko po alam, [5:19] but only the Secretary can testify [5:21] when exactly [5:22] were they able to complete [5:24] the documents for confirmation. [5:27] Ang may kasalanan po talaga, [5:28] yung June 3 kasi, [5:30] nag-adjourn, [5:32] tapagkatapos, [5:34] sana man lang, [5:34] before adjournment, [5:35] sinabi natin, [5:36] nag-schedule tayo, [5:38] na i-co-confirm natin sila. [5:40] Wala nga silang kasalanan, [5:41] but somebody is at fault here. [5:44] And then, [5:44] we have now a problem with the law. [5:47] We can't just simply say na, [5:48] we assume that [5:49] they are not covered [5:50] by one-year ban. [5:51] No. [5:52] The law is very clear, [5:53] Mr. Chair. [5:53] Salamat po. [5:55] Chair, [5:55] session suspended. [5:59] Mr. Chair, [5:59] I think we should clearly clarify [6:01] that this plenary session [6:03] is not a continuation [6:06] of the last session. [6:10] This plenary session [6:11] is not a continuation [6:12] of the last session, [6:14] simply because [6:15] this is a clearly [6:17] separate proceeding, [6:18] given that Congress [6:19] adjourned sine die [6:20] on June 3. [6:22] This is very clear. [6:23] We should not [6:25] explain it any further. [6:29] And Matibag [6:30] versus Benipaio [6:31] was quoted, [6:32] Mr. Chair. [6:34] In this case, [6:35] Mr. Chair, [6:36] an ad-interim appointment [6:37] can be terminated [6:38] for two causes [6:39] specified [6:40] in the Constitution. [6:44] Article 7, [6:46] Section 16, [6:48] Paragraph 2. [6:49] Ang sabi doon, [6:51] the first cause [6:51] is the disapproval [6:53] of his ad-interim appointment [6:55] by the CA. [6:56] The second one [6:57] is the adjournment [6:58] of Congress [6:59] without the CA [7:00] acting on his appointment. [7:03] Ito yung Matibag [7:04] versus Benipaio. [7:08] Mr. Chair, [7:09] may I manifest [7:10] that I have nothing [7:11] against the five officers [7:14] subject of today's confirmation. [7:17] I think we have [7:17] to thank them [7:19] for their gallantry [7:20] and service to our nation. [7:22] I'm just trying [7:23] to make a point here, [7:28] but I am not objecting [7:29] because we need [7:31] to know [7:32] and we need [7:33] to articulate [7:35] what is the law. [7:36] that must be [7:39] the concern [7:40] of this proceeding, [7:41] Mr. Chair. [7:44] Sana'y wala na yung [7:45] assumption [7:46] kasi na sinasabi pa nila [7:47] kanina [7:48] that there is a continuation. [7:49] This is not. [7:50] Alam natin lahat yun eh. [7:53] Because we are misleading [7:54] our members [7:55] for doing that, [7:56] Mr. Chair. [7:58] Ang importante na lang dito, [8:00] kung wala namang [8:01] mag-object sa kanila, [8:02] I'm just pointing it [8:03] for the record [8:04] that there is a law [8:05] that must be [8:07] respected [8:08] in connection with this, [8:10] Mr. Chair. [8:11] Thank you. [8:11] The manifestations [8:15] of the gentlemen [8:16] are actually debatable [8:19] because the [8:20] Commission on Appointments [8:21] is a different [8:22] in constitutional body [8:25] than Congress itself [8:26] kung tutusin. [8:27] Debatable yun. [8:29] Kaya talagang [8:30] pwedeng continuation. [8:31] Only for that matter, [8:33] Mr. Chair. [8:34] Since there's no objection [8:36] and there was [8:36] a previous motion, [8:38] so I moved to [8:39] act on the previous motion. [8:41] Considering that there's [8:46] no objection, [8:48] the previous motion [8:49] of Honorable Laxon [8:51] is hereby approved.