Duterte names Nograles CSC chair; to serve until 2029

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed former Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman, Malacañang said Monday.

Malacañang, in a statement accompanied with a photo, said Nograles took his oath as CSC Chairman before President Duterte also on March 7.

Nograles would serve as CSC chair until February 2, 2029. His tenure would thus exceed the term of the next president, who will hold office until June 30, 2028.

Nograles said that as a result of his new appointment, three government posts that he previously held were now vacant. The posts were Cabinet Secretary, acting presidential spokesperson, and Inter-Agency Task Force co-chair.

Nograles did not answer queries as to who would replace him in these posts.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits any head, official, or appointing officer of a government office, agency or instrumentality, whether national or local, including government-owned or controlled corporations, from appointing new employees, creating new positions, promoting or giving salary increases 45 days before an election and thirty days before a special election, except upon prior authority of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Likewise, the same law states that the Comelec cannot grant the authority sought for exemption "unless it is satisfied that the position to be filled is essential to the proper functioning of the office or agency concerned, and that the position shall not be filled in a manner that may influence the election."

The same prohibition on appointments can be found under Comelec's Resolution 10742. — DVM, GMA News