Ermita, 3 others resign from Cabinet

source : mb.com.ph
Four more Cabinet members have tendered their courtesy resignations to focus on their political ambitions this May but President Arroyo has not acted on them so far.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco Jr. have quit their posts after the Supreme Court ruled that appointed government officials running for public office are deemed resigned upon the filing of their certificates of candidacy (CoCs).

Ermita, a congressional candidate in Batangas, announced this a day after Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. submitted his resignation letter to the President in compliance with the SC decision. Andaya, who was appointed budget secretary in 2006, is a congressional bet in Camarines Sur.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the EDSA commemorative rites, the outgoing Executive Secretary said he submitted his courtesy resignation to the President last February 23, shortly after he received a copy of the SC ruling.

Esperon, a former military chief now running for congressman in Pangasinan, also quit his post the same day as Ermita.

Syjuco likewise filed his resignation letter Thursday while Devanadera submitted hers last Wednesday, Ermita said. Syjuco is eyeing a congressional seat in Iloilo while Devanadera is running for congresswoman in Quezon province.

Ermita, however, said it was up to President Arroyo to decide whether she would immediately accept their courtesy resignations and appoint their respective replacements.

So far, the President has treated the Cabinet members affected by the SC ruling as “guests” during a recent meeting in Palawan but remained mum on whether she has accepted their courtesy resignations.

“We have submitted our resignation. It depends on the final decision of the President but legally it’s okay for us to still be there because it is not final and executory,” Ermita said. “We will have to wait for the action of the President,” he added.

The filing of motion for reconsideration on the SC decision, he added, was a “normal” legal remedy availed by the affected Cabinet members.

For now, Ermita said the outgoing Cabinet members are winding up the affairs in their respective departments as the campaign period for local candidates draws near.

He insisted that they cannot be accused of electioneering since they only become official candidates once the campaign season for local bets starts on March 26. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier warned appointed government officials joining the May polls that they run the risk of being charged with electioneering if they do not quit.

The two remaining Cabinet members affected by the SC decision – Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez, have not yet submitted their courtesy resignations to the President.

Gonzalez, a mayoral bet in Iloilo City, recently said he plans to step down early next month while Yap, a congressional candidate in Bohol, reportedly intends to wait until the SC decision is final and executory.