ROXAS TO ARROYO: BE PATIENT, WAIT FOR NEXT PRESIDENT

Liberal Party President Senator Mar Roxas advised President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies not to hurry in appointing a replacement for Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno and let the President who will be elected on May 10, 2010 make this decision.

"Pag nag-retiro si Chief Justice Puno sa May 17, meron nang napiling bagong pangulo ang taumbayan. Dapat siya na ang pumili ng bagong Chief Justice (When Chief Justice Puno resigns on May 18, the people have already elected a new President. It should be him who should select the new Chief Justice), he said.

Roxas said Article VII Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution states "Two months immediately before the next presidential elections and up to the end of his term, a President or Acting President shall not make appointments, except temporary appointments to executive positions when continued vacancies therein will prejudice public service or endanger public safety."

"Huwag na niyang guluhin ang usapan, dahil malinaw ang sinasabi ng Konstitusyon: bawal ang anumang appointment sa panahon ng halalan (She should not confuse the matter, for what the Constitution says is clear: any appointment during the elections season is barred)," he said.

"Ang Pangulo, dapat pangalagaan ang integridad ng ating batas, imbes na paglaruan o paikutan pa ito (The President should uphold the integrity of the law, instead of trying to experiment with it or try to go around it)," he said.