Petilla’s chance of being confirmed dim, says Osmeña

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla.  RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla’s chance of being confirmed by the Commission on Appointments before Congress adjourns next week was dim amid questions on his competence raised by Senator Sergio Osmeña.

Osmena, co-chairman of the CA’s committee on energy, said Congress may adjourn sine die next week without deliberating on Petilla’s confirmation.

Asked then why the committee had no schedule for Petilla, the senator said: “Well, that’s my discretion.”

“I feel that he has not been an effective Secretary of Energy and we can see that a lot of people are complaining,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino during a weekly forum at the Senate on Thursday.

Asked then when the committee plans to schedule Petilla’s confirmation hearing, the senator said: “When the time is right.”

“That will happen when I realize it’s the right time. Anyway, even if I don’t conduct a hearing, the President will just keep on reappointing him,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña, who had earlier called on President Benigno Aquino to fire Petilla, reiterated his disappointment at how the energy department was being handled by its present leadership.

“I’m totally unhappy with the performance of the energy department,” he said.

The senator made it clear though that the committee’s move not to tackle Petilla’s confirmation was not deliberate.

If a CA member would ask him to convene his committee, then Osmeña said, he would “seriously consider it.”

“But the way I look at it, it’s really useless because the questions that I will be asking him will just serve to embarrass him ,” he said.

“Now, while he’s still sitting as Energy Secretary, I’d just like to see him be more effective in his job and to pay more attention to the problems that our nation is facing, not only today but for the next five years,” the senator added.

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