MANILA, Philippines?The conferment of National Artist awards on four controversial nominees inserted by Malacañang may no longer be undone, according to Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera.

In a lengthy comment, Devanadera sought the dismissal of the petition for prohibition filed by national artists and members of the academe against the recognition of National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) executive Cecile Alvarez, filmmaker Carlo J. Caparas, fashion designer Jose Moreno and architect Francisco Mañosa as national artists.

The four were conferred the awards although they were not nominated by the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Devanadera issued the comment in reply to the petition filed against the holding of awarding ceremonies and the release of the cash prizes to the four questioned awardees.

The petition was filed by national artists led by poet Virgilio Almario, who questioned the process by which Malacañang?s choices were named national artists.

?The issues raised in the petition are clearly moot and academic as private respondents have been declared national artists. No amount of melodramatic protests shall overturn this fact,? Devanadera said.

?The present petition is one for prohibition which is a preventive remedy. The act sought to be enjoined having taken place already, there is nothing more to restrain,? the solicitor general added.

Devanadera, the concurrent acting justice secretary, argued that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already issued presidential proclamations recognizing Malacañang?s choices as national artists.

She argued that even Fernando Poe Jr., remains a national artist by virtue of a presidential proclamation even after his family refused to attend the awarding rites to get the national artists medal.

Apart from Caparas, Alvarez, Moreno and Mañosa, Malacañang also conferred the title of national artist on NCCA-CCP nominees Manuel Conde for film, Federico Alcuaz for visual arts and Lazaro Francisco for literature.

A fourth NCCA-CCP nominee, composer Ramon Santos, was not given the award although he hurdled the NCCA-CCP selection process.

The petitioners questioned the naming of Alvarez as national artist because she was disqualified from consideration because of her position in the NCCA.

Caparas, Moreno and Mañosa, on the other hand, did not pass the rigorous screening and selection process of the NCCA-CCP.

Devanadera said that conferment of the national artist title is the exclusive prerogative of the President.

?(To) sustain petitioners? argument that the President cannot grant the award to someone nor recommended by the NCCA-CCP Boards would be a patent disregard of the President powers,? Devanadera said.