3 ambassadors reappointed to their posts

MANILA, Philippines - Three political ambassadors who were coterminous with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have been reappointed to their respective posts while the former head of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) was named new ambassador to Tokyo.

Senior officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs, who asked not to be named, told The STAR that former Ambassadors Francisco Benedicto, Maria Consuelo Puyat-Reyes and Mercedes Arrastia-Tuason have been reappointed.

The officials said Manuel Lopez was nominated ambassador to Japan after former ambassador to Tokyo Domingo Siazon ended his tour of duty last Sept. 30.

Benedicto was reappointed ambassador to Beijing. Puyat-Reyes, the longest-serving ambassador from the Ramos administration, was reappointed to the Philippine embassy in Chile, while Tuason was reappointed Philippine ambassador to Vatican.

“Their names have been submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA). The nomination was already submitted,” a DFA official said.

Sources said that only the nomination of Puyat-Reyes, Benedicto, Tuason and Lopez have been forwarded to the DFA and the CA. Malacañang will announce the nomination of ambassadors.

Siazon and most of the political ambassadors returned to the country after the extension of their tour of duty ended on Sept. 30.

DFA Assistant Secretary Belen Anota, a career diplomat, will serve as charge d’affaires at the Philippine embassy in Japan and is set to leave for Tokyo to prepare for the arrival of the new ambassador.

DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya, also a career diplomat, is being eyed as ambassador to Canberra if Ambassador Ernesto de Leon, a former Navy chief and a political appointee, is unseated and not reappointed.

However, DFA career officers are concerned that political appointees will again dominate the 26 ambassadorial posts.

“There is concern among the career officers because the 26 posts will be dominated again by political appointees with 21 political appointees and only five from the career,” another official said.