Justice Secretary Menardo Ilasco Guevarra鈥檚 ad interim聽appointment has been confirmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).
No member of the Commission聽objected when聽Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, as聽chairman of the CA鈥檚 committee on justice and judicial and bar council, moved for Guevarra鈥檚 confirmation at the plenary聽on Wednesday.
鈥淪ecretary Guevarra鈥檚 considerable experience in government, from entry-level positions all the way to the highest levels of the executive branch, should serve him well in his new role, as will the expertise in criminal law he has amassed over decades of experience as a veteran private practitioner and law professor,鈥� Gatchalian said in his sponsorship聽speech.
鈥淪ignificantly, it seems that Secretary Guevarra is well aware of the challenges facing the DOJ after recent controversies, and is willing to face these challenges head-on.鈥�
鈥淗e has pledged to reform the DOJ鈥檚 image and transform the department into a 鈥榗ornerstone of our justice system,鈥� to use his own words,鈥� the senator added.
During his short time on the job so far, Gatchalian said聽Guevarra has been 鈥減ro-active in fulfilling this ambitious but worthy promise.鈥�
鈥淚聽hope that the good Secretary will stay true to his word, and pursue his vision for the Department of Justice with courage, perseverance, and integrity,鈥� Gatchalian said.
Aside from Guevarra, the CA also confirmed聽the ad interim appointments聽of Agrarian Reform Secretary John Rualo Castriciones and Elections Commissioner Socorro Inting. /kga