Commission on Appointments approves Duque's appointment at Civil Service

MANILA, Philippines - Former Health secretary Francisco Duque yesterday breezed through the Commission on Appointments (CA), which confirmed his appointment as chief of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

As lawmakers prepare for Congress’ adjournment for the campaign period next week, they also approved the promotions of 174 senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including that of Maj. Gen. Romeo Prestoza.

Prestoza’s appointment was earlier opposed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who was absent when the CA deliberated the appointments yesterday.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano, a member of the contingent from the House of Representatives, moved for the approval of the appointments of the military officials to the plenary.

Albano told the CA that the appointees have “all the qualifications to competently assume” their posts.

After Albano’s sponsorship speech, Sen. Jamby Madrigal took the floor to read the names of the military officials and moved for their confirmation.

The CA also approved the appointments of Evelyn San Buenaventura as commissioner of the Commission on Audit (COA) and retired Supreme Court justice Regino Hermosisima as member of the Judicial and Bar Council.

The CA also approved the appointments of nine ambassadors namely, Bahnarim Guinomla for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives as chief of mission, class 1; Linglingay Lacanlale, ambassador to Thailand and permanent representative to the United Nations economic and social commission for Asia and the Pacific, as chief of mission, class 1.

The CA also confirmed the appointment of Bayani Mangibin as ambassador to Iraq, Eva Betita as ambassador to Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Suriname; Lourdes Yparraguirre, ambassador to Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic; Nestor Padalhin, ambassador to Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Cote Equatorial Guinea, Gabonese Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo;

Romeo Manalo, ambassador to Italy; Cecilia Rebong, chief of mission, Class I, at post in New York; and Patricia Ann Paez, chief of mission, Class II.       — Christina Mendez