Statement of Senate President Villar on the SC order:

We are yet to receive the official communication from the Supreme Court ordering a comment on the petition filed regarding the Commission on Appointments (CA) composition.

Until such time that we are in receipt of the official order from the Supreme Court, we cannot sufficiently comment on the matter.

The order to comment is part of the judicial process necessary to hear both sides of the story. The court is giving us an opportunity to explain and defend our side and we welcome it.

Allow me to state that I am proud of the achievements of the CA for the First Regular Session of the 14th Congress, where we scrutinized for their fitness and qualifications a total of 332 presidential nominees and appointees.

We confirmed 10 cabinet secretaries, one member of the Judicial and Bar Council, 256 senior officers of the defense department, 63 senior officers in the foreign service, and the respective chairmen of the Commission on Audit and the Commission on Elections.

The Senate is a collegial body and we respect the opinion of our colleague vis a vis the present composition of the CA.

Upon formal receipt of the SC order, I am instructing the legal staff of both the CA and the Senate to study and comment on the case and to submit the answer to the High Court within the justiciable period (10 days).