De Lima ‘excited’ and a ‘bit nervous’ as she faces appointments body

MANILA , Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who admitted being “excited” and a “bit nervous,” faced her confirmation hearing on Wednesday at the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).

De Lima’s confirmation hearing at the CA’s commission justice and judicial bar council started at around 10 a.m.

“I’m both excited and a bit nervous. I don’t normally feel nervous, sometimes I do, so this is probably one of those moments that I must admit I feel a bit nervous but because I really don’t know what’s gonna happen especially that this is first time…” she told reporters before the start of the hearing.

It was the first time that the Justice Secretary appeared before the CA.

“Of course, I   prayed last night , this morning, and I’m hoping for the best and I’m preparing actually for the worse at least psychologically,” de Lima said.

“Pero naniniwala naman ako, I have confidence in the distinguished members of the Commission on Appointments that they would discharge their mandate very responsibly,   professionally, judicially and fairly,” she said.

Asked about reports that personal issues would be raised against her, De Lima said: “Well, tingnan na lang natin but I’m not inclined to,  you know, na patulan ang mga ganyan.”

(We’ll just see about that, but I’m not inclined to, you know, dignify those things.)

To prepare for her confirmation hearing, she said she went to the House of Representatives several weeks ago and met some members of its contingent to the Commission.

The meeting, she said, was held at the office of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and also attended by Senator Aqulino “Koko”” Pimentel III, head of the Senate contingent.

“Kasi ‘yung iba they also want to talk to me. Hindi nila ako kilala, so it’s more of introducing myself to them,” she said.

(Because some of them wanted to talk to me. They don’t know me, so it’s more introducing myself to them.)

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