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Manila Standard Today -- Malacañang seeks Comelec’s OK to replace Cusi -- 2010/october/5
Malacañang seeks Comelec’s OK to replace Cusi
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will replace Alfonso Cusi, an appointee of former President Gloria Arroyo, as director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines despite his fixed four-year term, an official said Monday.
Mr. Aquino included Cusi’s position in the list submitted by the Executive branch to the Commission on Elections for exemption from the Sept. 25 appointment ban.
The Comelec has already granted the exemption to the 143 positions while the appointment ban is still in effect due to this month’s village elections.
Earlier, Transport Secretary Jose de Jesus said Mr. Aquino had already chosen the next CAAP head, and one he could trust.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said De Jesus was “monitoring the performance” of Cusi, who, however, was not covered by Executive Order 2 firing the so-called midnight appointees of the previous administration.
The midnight appointees are those officials who were appointed before March 11 but who took their oath or assumed office after March 11.
Cusi, a former general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, took his oath as CAAP chief on March 8, three days before the appointment ban took effect.
De Jesus said Cusi agreed to submit a courtesy resignation on July 6, but then changed his mind on the strength of his fixed four-year term.
Cusi’s aside, the other positions under the CAAP that were included in the exemption list were the deputy director general for operations, the deputy director general for administration, the assistant director general II for air traffic service, the assistant director general II for flight standards inspectorate service, the assistant director general II for air navigation service, the assistant director general II for aerodrome development and management service, and the assistant director general I for civil aviation training. Joyce Pangco Pañares