Jinggoy Estrada stalls Heidi Mendoza’s COA appointment

Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senator  Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada was a no-show at the  confirmation  hearing of  Commissioner Heidi Mendoza of the Commission on Audit  (COA) on Tuesday  but still managed  to derail her appointment.

Estrada,  who promised to block  Mendoza’s appointment,  sent   a letter to the  Commission on Appointments’ committee on constitutional commissions and offices, requesting  that  he  be allowed to  aks questions to  the appointee  in  the  next hearing of the committee.

Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas, a member of the committee, explained that when a member requests  an opportunity to  question any appointee, by practice, the body  has to grant such request lest  it be accused  that the requesting  party has been deprived that opportunity.

Fariñas  then  moved to defer Mendoza’s appointment pending  Estrada’s  questions for her.

But the committee  did not immediately suspend the proceeding as it decided to proceed to hear other oppositors on Mendoza’s  appointment.

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