IbArrA
Number of posts : 58
KARMA : 2
Registration date : 2009-03-06
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 Subject: Arroyo reconstitutes committee of peers Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:32 pm |
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MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has reconstituted the Cabinet committee of peers, a body of Cabinet members that evaluates alleged wrongdoing against fellow Cabinet members.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Saturday Mrs. Arroyo has retained him as chairman of the committee, which he said he would convene soon.
“That was prompted because of my transfer from the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS)," he said on government-run dzRB radio.
He said the new members of the body include Secretaries Esperanza Cabral (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Department of National Defense).
Earlier members included former Socio-Economic Secretary Romulo Neri who now heads the Social Security System; and Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., he said.
Remonde said that when he was yanked from the PMS and placed in the OPS, the question was whether the committee on peers will remain under the PMS.
“At first (it was) institutional so one of the questions was when I left PMS (was if) it will remain with PMS. That was the reason for the clarification when I left PMS and it was transferred to OPS. The President made the decision to retain me and appoint new members," he said.
On the other hand, he admitted most of the cases the body is handling involves those “who are already out of office." He did not name names.
When asked about the status of the cases, he said they “are still on the final stages of review," adding the committee does not investigate, but just evaluates the cases.
“The investigating arm is basically Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation if necessary," he said. - GMANews.TV
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