Gullas named head of House group to CA

Speaker Prospero Nograles has designated Rep. Eduardo Gullas (first district, Cebu) to head the House contingent to the Commission on Appointments (CA), which was left vacant since he was elected Speaker last February.

In his letter, dated May 26, to Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., the CA overall chairman, he said that Gullas has been named acting head of the 12-member CA committee from the House, “pending the reorganization of the House of Representatives.”

The move was fully supported by other CA members, who “recognize” and “affirm” their support for the Cebuano congressman as their new head in their joint letter to Nograles dated May 5.

Gullas, in an interview, said that after Nograles was elected Speaker last February 5, he was already directed by the latter to “take charge” of the House contingent. From then on, he already worked like the committee head, and this could be the reason why Nograles’ had designated him to head the panel.

According to the CA website, as of January 28, 2008, the other congressmen in the CA are Eduardo Zialcita, Rodolfo Plaza, Jose Yap, Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, Rodolfo Albano III, Eileen Ermita-Buhain, Condrado Estrella III, Abdullah Dimaporo, Jose Carlos Lacson, and Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.

From February 5 to the present, the CA in plenary has already confirmed the appointments of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser C. Pangandangan, Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., and 32 Brigadier Generals, a Major General, and a Lieutenant General.

At the committee level, the CA has approved the appointments of Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., Finance Secretary Gary Teves, Ambassadors Francisco Benedicto, Noe Wong, Cristina Castaner-Ponce Enrile and MacArthur Corsino; and 37 chiefs of mission, career ministers, and foreign service officers Class I and II. All of them are now endorsed to the plenary for confirmation.

Gullas said that, at 10 am this Wednesday, the committee on national defense chaired by Rep. Albano III is scheduled to hear the appointment of Armed Forces of the Philippines flag-officers led by General Alexander Yano.

At 11am of the same day, the committee on justice under the chairmanship of Senator Ping Lacson will hear the appointment of Raul Gonzales as Justice Secretary. Also on the same day at 1p.m., the committee on energy chaired by Senator Dick Gordon will hear the appointment of Angelo Reyes as Energy Secretary.

By 2 p.m., the committee on constitutional offices, headed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, will hear the appointment of Jose AR Melo as chairman of the Commission on Elections.

Gullas said that they are purposely expediting the confirmation hearings now to endorse the qualified nominees and appointees before the sine die adjournment of Congress this June 11.

The CA was set to confirm Duque and Comelec commissioner Moslemen Macarambon last March but Villar was forced to suspend the last CA session on March 12, when Sen. Jamby Madrigal protested the appointment of Brig. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin. — Liv G. Campo/RAE