Cross-checking the Numbers

Screengrab from Rappler’s Facebook account.

AFTER THE much-publicized confirmation hearings, the Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected the nomination of Gina Lopez as Environment Secretary on May 3. Lopez was the second to be rejected by the appointment body, following Perfecto Yasay Jr.

Although done via secret voting in an executive session, the CA secretariat had the record of the final tally; eight CA members were in favor of Lopez’s appointment but 16 others voted against it.

Rappler published “Is someone lying? CA votes on Gina Lopez don’t add up” which cross-checked the 16-8 claim against what some members of CA said. As several senators declared their vote on record, Rappler compared it with the reported turnout and raised questions about the truthfulness of their claims.

Those who claimed they voted for Lopez were Senators Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Francis Pangilinan who said he was representing the Liberal Party CA members Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Ralph Recto. Senator Manny Pacquiao also said he voted for Lopez. That would be eight votes in favor of Lopez. However, Manila 6^th District Representative Sandy Ocampo also claimed she voted for Lopez.

While most media organizations took the available information at face value, Rappler’s efforts to double-check the public statements vis-a-vis the voting records are laudable. The public may never know what actually transpired during the executive session, but media’s second look at the information somehow invokes accountability, transparency and truthfulness of public officials.