Palace says no need for Duterte to justify Cardema’s return to NYC

August 7, 2020

No one can question President Rodrigo Duterte as to whoever he wants to appoint in government, including Ronald Cardema who reportedly returned at the National Youth Commission, Malacañang said on Friday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said all presidential appointments are sole and exclusive prerogative of the President.

"According to the Constitution, no one can question such kind of appointments, that's with the pleasure of the President," he said.

Roque added that Duterte does not need to justify whoever he wants to appoint in government.

Cardema reportedly went back to NYC as a commissioner.

He quit from NYC when he was nominated as one of the representatives of the Duterte Youth Party-list in the 2019 elections.

But the Commission on Elections canceled his nomination because he was already 34 years old.

Under the Party-List System Act, a nominee of the youth sector must at least be 25 but not more 30 years of age on the day of the election. Celerina Monte/DMS