Lawmaker blocks confirmation of some military officials

MANILA, Philippines — Nueva Ecija Representative Rodolfo Antonino blocked the confirmation of military officials holding positions higher than the rank of brigadier pending a review of the promotion process in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

There are 131 military officers due for confirmation at the Commission on Appointments’ committee on national defense on Wednesday.

“Some of you that are here may not be deserving but I am sure that many more of you are deserving of a higher rank than what you are being nominated to in this committee or should have been promoted earlier for I have been informed of the urgency of your confirmations due to the one year tenure requirement and your birthdays are on the near horizon,” Antonino said.

“I hope you can understand that I am standing up only in the best interest of the Armed Forces in the hopes of uplifting the morale of the entire Armed Forces by asking for a review of the promotion process and its cleansing thereof,” he said.

“In view of this, it is my fervent request to my esteemed colleagues in the committee to support my advocacy and not to endorse for confirmation all those nominated for promotion higher than the rank of brigadier and its equivalent rank in the navy until the committee has determined the qualifications and fitness by each of the nominees via a review of the promotion process by each of them were recommended to the President for promotion and thus for confirmation by this Commission,” the congressman added.

Before this, Senator Panfilo Lacson also moved to defer the confirmation of those who have pending cases in court.

The committee has yet to decide on both motions.