NAGPADALA ng kanyang reaction ang current NCAA chairman na si Felipe de Leon, Jr. sa appointment issue kay music legend Freddie Aguilar bilang bagong head ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Ayon sa isang text message ni De Leon noong nakaraang July 16, hindi raw maaaring ma-assume ni Aguilar ang naturang posisyon dahil sa pag-appoint ni President Rodrigo Duterte.
Nilinaw ni De Leon na nakalagay sa Republic Act 7356 that the position of chairman is not appointive.
“The chairman is elected by the Board of Commissioners.
“There are four levels of elections – general assembly, committee membership, committee chairmanship, and head of a sub-commission – before you can be a member of the Board, who will then elect its Chair.
“The committee members are fiercely independent artists and cultural workers who will always like to choose their own leaders,” paglilinaw pa ni De Leon.
Sa isang interview naman kay Aguilar, sinabi nito na nag-request siya kay President Duterte na mag-create ito ng Department of Culture and Arts para makapagsimula ng isang “cultural revolution” at ma-promote ang nationalism sa pamamagitan ng performing arts.
Ang executive assistant daw ng president na si Christopher “Bong” Go ang nag-offer sa kanya na maging head ng NCCA habang binubuo pa ang department na binanggit niya.
“Tinawagan ako ni Bong Go at sabi niya, ‘Ka Freddie, puwede po bang pamunuan ni’yo muna ang NCCA,’ ang sabi ko, ‘Sige po, susubukan kong pamunuan muna.’
“Sa madaling salita, kung pakikinggan ko ang sinabi ni Bong Go ay para na rin niyang sinabing ibibigay ng mahal na presidente ang Department of Culture and the Arts,” ayon pa kay Ka Freddie.
Ayon naman kay De Leon, wala pa raw formal announcement si President Duterte tungkol sa diumanong appointment kay Aguilar sa NCCA.
“Doing that would be patently illegal.
“I suppose the President will respect the law,” diin pa niya. Kabilang na rin ang award-winning actress na si Vivian Velez na nagkuwestiyon sa diumamong pag-appoint kay Aguilar bilang NCAA chairman.
“NCCA chairmanship is a delicate position that entails higher educational background about the arts and particularly high management skilled individual.
“Ano ang meron kay Freddie Aguilar para ma-qualify siya sa posisyon na yan?
“While admittedly President Duterte has a soft spot for Freddie, I am afraid the move would be ill advised considering that Freddie lacks the experiential background and management skills for such a position…
“Just an honest opinion!,” post pa ni Velez sa kanyang Facebook page. (Ruel J. Mendoza)