An opposition to Secretary Ochoa's confrimation

          The reported confirmation at the Committee level of Secretary Paquito Ochoa's appointment as Executive Secretary has surprised many since it seems very rush without even the benefit of prior notice published in newspapers of general circulation so individual, group and other interested party could have registered their formal opposition.
           The process of confirmation of appointed members of the Cabinet is regarded as a democratic process whereby the 20 members of both the Senate and House of Representatives who are sitting as the Commission On Appointments can determine the fitness, competence and suitability of the proposed appointee in accordance with the rules of the Commission.
            In the CA confirmation hearing at the Committee level, the public should have been given the opportunity to manifest their opposition, if any, on the particular official subject to the confirmation process as part of the true observance of democratic processes. It is also one ideal means whereby the government can truly demonstrate so-called policy of transparency and accountability and proper observance of the dictum "public service is public trust" that every Cabinet member and official of the government must serve with the highest degree of honesty, integrity, competence and acceptance of the people.
           So in no case should any Cabinet official appointed by the President of the Philippines be
confirmed both at the Committee level and Plenary if there is the slightest objection or opposition by any individual, group or organization to his appointment observing the transparent and democratic manner of appointing a high official of the government.
           In this light, even while Secretary Paquito Ochoa's confirmation at the Committee level has been done, we in the Independent Press of Zamboanga Peninsula, Inc. would respectfully appeal to the Honorable Members of the Commission On Appointments to allow us to register our strong objection and opposition to the confirmation of his appointment because we believe the blunders and mistakes he has committed in the issuance of Executive Orders that were rejected and deemed illegal by highest tribunal Supreme Court has placed the Office of the President in a bad light not only in the Philippines but throughout the world.
            For such omission, we firmly believe that Secretary Paquito Ochoa is not fit and does not have the competence of the position to which he was appointed by the President.