Who are appointments, poll tribunal members?

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Who are the senators with the power to approve presidential appointments and decide on electoral protests?

The Senate named members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) and the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), two of the most powerful bodies in Congress.

The 1987 Constitution states that the President shall nominate and, with the consent of the CA, appoint the heads of executive departments, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, or officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain.

The CA consists of Senate President Franklin Drilon as ex-officio chairman, 12 senators, and 12 members of the House of Representatives. The members are elected on the basis of proportional representation from political parties.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen Jinggoy Estrada of the minority announced the following CA members on Tuesday, July 30: 

1. Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto (Liberal Party)
2. Sen Teofisto “TG” Guingona III (Liberal Party)
3. Sen Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr (Nacionalista Party)
4. Sen Alan Peter Cayetano (Nacionalista Party)
5. Sen Loren Legarda (Nationalist People’s Coalition)
6. Sen Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (PDP-Laban)
7. Sen Antonio Trillanes IV (Nacionalista Party)
8. Sen Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III
9. Sen Miriam Defensor Santiago (People’s Reform Party)
10. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile (United Nationalist Alliance)
11. Sen Jinggoy Estrada (United Nationalist Alliance)
12. Sen Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (Nationalist People’s Coalition)

The Senate also chose members of the SET, the sole judge of all electoral contests for the Senate.

It is composed of 9 members, 3 of whom shall be justices of the Supreme Court and 6  senators chosen on the basis of proportional representation from the political parties. The senior justice shall be the SET chairman. 

Cayetano and Estrada said the following are the members of the SET:

1. Sen Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV (Liberal Party)
2. Sen Cynthia Villar (Nacionalista Party)
3. Sen Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista Party)
4. Sen Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino)
5. Sen Nancy Binay (United Nationalist Alliance)
6. Sen Gregorio Honasan II (United Nationalist Alliance)

In the 15^th Congress, the CA bypassed 4 Cabinet members: Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, and Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla.

Also among those bypassed were Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, and Commission on Elections Commissioner Grace Padaca. 

President Benigno Aquino III had to reappoint the officials to allow them to continue occupying their posts. – Rappler.com