Commission on Appointments: No to Yano; Ibrado confirmed

MANILA, Philippines – Retired Armed Forces chief Alexander Yano was not confirmed as ambassador to Brunei after former envoy to Washington Ernesto Maceda opposed his nomination before the Commission on Appointments yesterday.

However, new Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado breezed through the CA, along with Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, eight ambassadors and 22 other diplomats.

Retired AFP vice chief Cardozo Luna was confirmed as ambassador to the Netherlands.

In opposing Yano’s confirmation, Maceda said it could set a “dangerous precedent” in the foreign service.

Yano’s appointment was “disturbing” since he was “literally persuaded if not forced into early retirement” from the military, he added.

Diplomats who rose from the ranks are being bypassed with the appointment of retired military and police officers, according to career officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Maceda told the CA many retired military and police officials have already been named to civilian posts, including the Cabinet.

“This has the effect of not isolating but in fact making the military and police establishment a partisan organization,” he said.

“All of them seem to be applying or (are) being offered jobs in civilian positions after they retire. So this issue has to be raised right now.”

President Arroyo has named 70 retired military officers to civilian posts since she assumed office in 2001, he added.

Maceda said the administration must be “a little more circumspect” in making such appointments.

Yano’s retirement was meant to ensure that Mrs. Arroyo’s protegé, Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, will be named AFP chief in time for next year’s elections, he added.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, CA committee on foreign relations chair, said Yano might have a difficult time because section 20 of the CA rules allows a member to veto the confirmation of an official.

Sixteen other military officers also failed to get the CA nod after senators raised questions on the number of generals that could be appointed.

Others who passed CA scrutiny were ambassadors Evan Garcia (Brazil), Ma. Angelina Sta. Catalina (Finland); Aniceta Bugarin (Timor-Leste); Corazon Yap-Bahjin (Bahrain); Alejandro del Rosario (Poland); Antonio Lagdameo (United Kingdom); and Mercedes Arrastia Tuason (Vatican City).

Also confirmed were the ad interim appointments of foreign service officers Mary Jo Aragon, Victoriano Lecaros, Eva Betita, Jose Eduardo Malaya III, Danilo Ibayan, Cleofe Natividad, Lourdes Yparraguirre, Crescente Relacion, Leslie Baja, Teresita Daza, Belinda Ante, Wilfredo Santos, Vicente Vivencio Bandillo, Marciano de Borja, Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, Christopher Patrick Aro, Edna May Lazaro, Maria Lilia de Vera, Jesus Enrique Garcia II, Roberto Bernardo, Raphael Hermoso and Gunther Emil Sales.

Among the military officers, only the nomination of Ibrado and Rabena were approved by the plenary after Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Richard Gordon pointed out the limit in the number of generals that could be appointed.

Biazon said the number of generals was set by Congress at 133 but this could already reach 147, while Gordon said the Constitution was specific on the number of four- to one-star generals that could be promoted.

The CA committee on national defense said they would call Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. to explain the matter as they deferred the confirmation of 16 other military officers.