Malacañang will have to study the situation of leadership claims in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) before clarifying the matter, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said.
Angeles said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has not made a statement over the matter as it will still be subjected to "usual procedures."
"Wala pa po kasing statement ang ating Pangulo tungkol diyan. Kapag meron na po itatalakay natin (The President has still no statement on that. Once there is, we will discuss it)," Angeles said during a press briefing on Friday, Aug. 5.
Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Deputy Director General Tereso Panga has been recognized by PEZA as its head through a recent memorandum order.
Former PEZA Director-General Charito Plaza, however, questioned the position given to Panga, seeking clarification on her status. She was appointed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
Angeles said the Memorandum Circular Nos. 1 and 3 must be applied on such matters.
Memorandum Circular No. 1 (MC1) states that vacancies in the heads of offices where no replacement has been appointed or designated will be filled by the next-in-rank or most senior official as OIC.
Memorandum Circular No. 3, on the other hand, is a supplement to MC 1, extending the authority of Officers in Charge until December 2022, unless a replacement has been designated or appointed, whichever comes first.
Plaza has refuted MC1, citing MC3, which she said exempts government-owned or controlled corporations.
"Like we said ia-apply natin yung MC 1 and 3 at titignan natin yung interpretation ng ahensya (we will apply MC1 and 3 and we'll check the interpretation of the agency. So, right now I still have to find that out. But we have been strictly implementing MC 1 and 3," Angeles said.
She explained that it will be subject to the usual procedures.
"Once received, the Office of the Executive Secretary will immediately act on it either by studying the matter and referring it to deputy legal or if the answer is clear already they will simply make the recommendations right away," the Press Secretary said.