Lacson explains reject vote: 'Unqualified' Gina Lopez has 'authoritarian tendencies'

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said he voted against the appointment of Gina Lopez as environment secretary because she was neither fit nor qualified, and that she “has authoritarian tendencies.”

In a text message to reporters, Lacson said that Lopez’s “passion and enthusiasm” do not necessarily translate into “fitness and qualification,” both of which are basic criteria to confirm a presidential appointee.

“Ms. Regina Paz Lopez obviously has a lot of passion and enthusiasm, but evidently, in my own observation and analysis of her performance during the entire confirmation proceedings, she is not fit for the job nor is she qualified,” Lacson said.

“Worse, she admittedly arrogated unto herself the authority which is not prescribed under the existing laws of the land. That makes her potentially dangerous as a department head. Further, she has authoritarian tendencies,” he added.

Lacson was one of the members of the Commission on Appointments who voted to reject the appointment of Lopez. Sources earlier said the vote was 16-8.

“On a personal note, I hate being intimidated and pressured in the performance of my duties as a legislator and member of the CA. Her supporters can speculate all they want why I voted to reject her confirmation but these are my reasons and nothing more,” Lacson added.

It was Lacson who earlier told Lopez that he didn’t want her to suffer the same fate of Perfecto Yasay, Jr., who was also rejected by the CA as Foreign Affairs secretary.

Lopez faced three CA committee hearings, with more than 30 oppositions filed against her nomination, most of which were in connection with her order to close 23 mining operations and suspend five others.

A day before the CA vote, Lopez was quizzed on the basis of her memorandum imposing a P2-million trust fund per hectare of land disturbed by miners.

Lopez said her January 30 memorandum was based on her “prerogative.”

Some members of the CA earlier told Lopez to base her decisions on the law, and not merely on her passion to protect the environment. —JST, GMA News