Confirmation of 96 Palace appointees set
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:28:00 10/04/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The bicameral Commission on Appointments is looking to finally confirm dozens of officials when it holds a plenary session on Wednesday, October 8, Cebu Representative Eduardo Gullas said in a statement over the weekend.
"We intend to deliberate on as many appointments as possible at the committee level in the days ahead, so that those who make the grade may be endorsed right away for plenary confirmation on Wednesday," said Gullas, vice chairman of the commission where 13 senators also sit.
Gullas said the CA's Committee on National Defense chaired by Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano III would deliberate on the appointments of 38 generals and senior military officers on Tuesday, October 7.
The Albano committee earlier screened and endorsed for plenary confirmation an initial batch of 25 senior officers of the Armed Forces at its September 30 hearing.
Also on October 7, Gullas said the CA's Committee on Justice chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson would hear the nomination of retired Court of Appeals Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman as a member of the Judicial and Bar Council -- the select constitutional body that screens appointees to the bench.
On Wednesday, October 8, before the afternoon plenary session, the CA's Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Miriam Santiago would hear in the morning the nominations of 13 new ambassadors and 12 other senior officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The ambassadors pending confirmation are former Senator Orlando Mercado (to China, North Korea, and Mongolia); retired Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Generoso Senga (Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan); Gilberto Asuque (Lebanon); Pedro Chan (Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan); Rey Carandang (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia);
Rora Navarro-Tolentino (France, Monaco, and Portugal); Ma. Theresa Lazaro (Switzerland and Liechtenstein); Elizabeth Buensuceso (Norway, Denmark, and Iceland); Regina Irene Sarmiento (the Czech Republic); Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia (Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago);
Vicente Alejandrino (Libya, Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Tunisia); Domingo Lucenario Jr. (Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, the two Congos, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda); and Marilyn Alarilla (Laos).
Among the generals and Flag officers pending confirmation are Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, the new Navy chief; Lieutenants General Delfin Bangit, Jaime Buenaflor, and Isagani Cachuela; Majors General Rolando Capacia, Alfredo Cayton Jr., Nathaniel Legaspi, Hernanie Perez, and Ralph Villanueva;
Brigadiers General Anthony Alcantara, Dominador Aquino III, Manuelito Dahan, Jesus Fajardo, Reynard Ronnie Javier and Delfin Pomposo; Rear Admirals Danilo Cortez, Roberto Estioko, Ramon Punzalan, and Josefino Solidum; and Commodores Oliver Cuevas, Teddy Pan, Benhail Sevilla, and Orwen Cortez;
Gullas said a total of 96 officials are now pending CA confirmation.
Of the 96, he said 63 are senior military officers while 26 are high-ranking diplomatic officials, including the 13 new ambassadors.
The officials whose appointments or re-appointments are now pending CA confirmation also include three Cabinet members -- Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes and Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr.; and three election commissioners -- Leonardo Leonida, Lucenito Tagl,e and Moslemen Macarambon.
The 1987 Constitution vests the CA with the power to approve or disapprove presidential appointments. This is part of the checks and balances established by the Constitution to ensure that every government department functions in a manner most beneficial to the public welfare.
Among those subject to CA confirmation are the heads of executive departments, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, military officers from the rank of colonel or naval captain, and the heads and members of constitutional commissions and offices.
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