Aquino warned on firing Arroyo appointees Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 06/12/2010

Aquino warned on firing Arroyo appointees

Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo 06/12/2010 President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino should be wary of his power to fire government officials, particularly those so-called “midnight appointees” of outgoing President Arroyo who are covered by the Civil Service Law. The warning was made yester-day by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, apparently in reaction to Aquino’s state-ment that the presidential power to appoint comes with the power to dismiss the appointee. “The presidential power to fire is not absolute as it is circumscribed by due process which is enshrined in the Constitution and limited by the provisions of the Civil Service Law,” he stressed. Lagman, Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s proposed candidate for the Speakership race, said appointments made before the onset of the ban under Section 15 of Article VII of the Constitution are presumed legal and valid even as he defended President Arroyo’s alleged “midnight ap-pointments.” “President Arroyo’s challenged appointments were extended prior to the ban’s effectivity,” he added. Aquino during a press conference after his procla-mation told the media that he, as the President, has the power to dismiss those who have been appointed.  “The basic principle, I think all of us will agree, the power to appoint carries with it the power to dismiss. That has been decided in so many precedent-setting cases,” Aquino said..... MORE   Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: .http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100612hed3.html