Yasay confirmation hits snag over ‘US citizenship’

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. gestures during a news conference on the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum in Vientiane, Laos, at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. EDWIN BACASMAS/INQUIRER FILE

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.’s confirmation by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) hit a bump on Wednesday over his citizenship.

Yasay was set for confirmation by the CA’s committee on foreign affairs but his appearance was reset to February 22 upon the request of the House of Representatives contingent.

“May practice sila (House panel) doon meron silang preliminary vetting, yung contingent lang nila. Mukhang di pa yon natatapos so they requested that he be deferred pero ini-schedule ko siya on February 22,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said after the hearing of the committee.

San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, member of the House contingent, said they wanted Yasay to tell them the truth whether he was still an American citizen.

“We want him to tell us: Hindi na ako American citizen although I was an American citizen at one point,’” Zamora said in an interview.

Zamora said the House panel scheduled a meeting with the secretary on February 20. CBB