Malacañang on Monday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to appoint acting secretaries to lead several government agencies, following criticism from Senator Imee Marcos.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified that the President “means no offense to the Commission on Appointments (CA),” stressing that the appointments fall within his constitutional prerogatives.
“The President is merely exercising his constitutional prerogatives. He can make an appointment for temporary or permanent positions,” she said.
Castro explained that acting secretaries are legally allowed to serve for up to one year, and none of those currently appointed have exceeded that limit.
“Ang mga Acting Secretaries can remain as acting secretaries for a period of one year. So kung susumahin po niya ang lahat ng na-appoint sa ngayon na Acting Secretaries, wala pa pong one year ang pagsisilbi sa kanilang posisyon,” she noted.
She added that formal appointments will be submitted “in due time.”
Castro also criticized Senator Imee Marcos for being “too harsh” toward the President while not applying the same scrutiny to other officials with whom she is politically aligned.