Ambush interview with Communications Secretary Ramon A. Carandang and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail F. Valte:
On the appointment of Rasol Lamping Mitmug as Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission and Christian Robert S. Lim as Commissioner of the Commission on Elections, and other topics
Press Working Room, 1/F New Executive Building, Malacañang, Manila
April 4, 2011
UNDERSECRETARY ABIGAIL F. VALTE: Magandang hapon po. Thank you for coming down.
We have two announcements to make. We have two new appointments. Iyong una po sa Civil Service Commission, naitalaga po ni Pangulong Aquino bilang kapalit ni Cesar D. Buenaflor for a term expiring on February 2, 2018 si Rasol Lamping Mitmug. Iyong pangalawa po sa bilang Commissioner ng Commission on Elections. Kapalit po ni Atty. Gregorio Y. Larrazabal for a term expiring on February 2, 2018, si Christian Robert S. Lim. Napirmahan po ni Pangulong Aquino iyong mga appointments.
Just a little bit about the two new appointees—si Rasol Lamping Mitmug ay malawak na po iyong kaniyang experience in government. Galing po siya ng Commission on Audit. Naging Regional Director na po siya. Naging Director IV, naging Cluster Director, and Deputy Director Officer in Charge. Si Commissioner Christian Robert S. Lim—work experience, prior to this appointment—he was a partner at the Lim and Leynes Law Offices. Ang work experience po niya is with the Legal, Anti-Fraud Group, Quick Reaction Team ng—he has been a lawyer for several candidates in the past few elections. And he was formerly part of—before putting up his own firm—he was part of Carpio Villaraza and Cruz Law Offices and he was likewise a Legal Assistant of the Regional Trial Court of Makati Branch 143.
Thank you.
Q: Ma’am, iyong kay Commissioner Paner, wala pa?
VALTE: Wala pa po. Iyong si Atty. Lim po ay kapalit ni Atty. Larrazabal.
Q: So, you’re confident that he will perform although he is an outsider of the Commission?
VALTE: Opo. I will distribute later copies of his CV [Curriculum Vitae]. Makikita niyo po na si Atty. Lim has represented several clients in election cases as well. So, confident naman po tayo doon sa capability, integrity, and competence ni Atty. Lim.
Q: … the President said that an IT [Information Technology] expert will be one of the Commissioners. Is Lim an IT expert?
VALTE: From what I see, ano po siya, more of an election lawyer, so baka po iyong susunod—iyong tinutukoy noon ni Pangulong Aquino na isang IT expert.
Q: Humuhingi kasi iyong grupong COURAGE ng six thousand na increase and hindi raw nila gusto iyong installment. Gusto raw nila one time…
VALTE: Una lang po, gusto nating sabihin na gusto po muna kasi namin kumunsulta sa Department of Budget and Management bago po tayo makapagbigay ng a more substantial answer to your question. However, what I do remember is this is not the first time that they’ve asked for a raise, and kung hindi po ako nagkakamali, magkakaroon po kasi ng second tranche ng pagtaas po because of the Salary Standardization Law. If I’m not mistaken, June or July po iyon.
Thank you.
Q: Fake daw iyong travel documents used by Senator [Panfilo] Lacson?
SECRETARY RAMON A. CARANDANG: According to?
Q: …according to the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs].
CARANDANG: Well, let’s let the DFA decide what the appropriate action in this case is. Hayaan na natin sa DFA iyan, kung ano iyong dapat gawin.
Q: So, Malacañang doesn’t really have anything to say about it?
CARANDANG: At this point, no. We haven’t seen any documents, so if that’s a statement from the DFA, then let the DFA deal with it.
ENDS
