Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Thursday said incoming Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano should formally resign as a senator before assuming his new post.
"Kailangan pormal siyang mag-bitiw. Pero hanggang hindi siya nagbibitiw at nag-assume ng position ng secretary, hindi niya maaaring gampanan nang buong-buo 'yung kanyang tungkulin bilang kalihim," Escudero said during the "Kapihan sa Senado."
"Dahil kung siya'y acting lamang, hindi siya pwede mag-appoint ng permanente, hindi siya puwedeng pumirma ng voucher hanggang hindi siya nagre-resign bilang senador at hanggang hindi siya na-coconfirm formally ng Commission on Appointments, lalo na in session ang Congress sa pagkaka-appoint sa kanya," Escudero added.
He further said: "Hindi ito ad interim appointment kung saan buong-buo na ang kanyang kapangyarihan. Kailangan niya yung kanyang confirmation."
Cayetano had earlier clarified that he was nominated by the President to the post. Meaning, he needs to be confirmed first before taking his oath of office.
"The nomination has been signed but I cannot take the office and the oath until confirmed by the Commission on Appointments," he said.
"That’s why you have a statement from Senator Ping. At nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya that he’s planning a, you know a, the confirmation and nakikiusap sa mga kasamahan namin dahil kasama din sa CA and we work together ‘no to speed up the process," he added.
Cayetano was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday as the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
He told reporters that he signed Cayetano's appointment papers right before he left for Ninoy Aquino International Airport for his trips to Cambodia, Hong Kong, and China.
Cayetano is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
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