Department of Foreign Affairs. (Photo from the DFA Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines — A panel of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) has made the recommendation to confirm the nominations and ad interim appointments of 24 officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Among those recommended for confirmation on Wednesday by the CA’s committee on foreign affairs were Enrique Austria Manalo as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York and Philippine ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman Imelda Macapundag Panolong.
The panel, meanwhile, deferred the nomination of Philippine ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand Millicent Cruz-Paredes, who was also Permanent Representative to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, with the rank of Chief of Mission II.
Cruz-Paredes, however, was also holding an appointment with the rank of Chief Mission I.
This prompted the panel to consider her confirmation in its next hearing slated on March 11, as committee members questioned her dual appointments.
San Juan Representative Ronaldo Zamora noted that the appointment papers of the nominee showed she was appointed to the ranks of Chief of Mission 1 and 2.
“I have no problem about her patriotism, her qualifications, your background is completely qualified,” Zamora said.
“But I still want to know what rank she is being appointed to? Is she being appointed to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class 1 or Chief of Mission, Class 2?”
Zamora then moved to defer consideration on Cruz-Paredes’ appointments pending clarification on the issue.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson agreed, saying the problem would arise if the nominee is confirmed to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class 1, and then later as ambassador to Thailand but with the rank of Chief Mission, Class 2.
“That’s in effect demoting her,” Lacson pointed out.
Meanwhile, the panel’s recommendation to confirm the nominations and appointments of the 24 DFA officials would be later discussed and decided in the plenary.