7 Cabinet members still have to pass CA scrutiny

MANILA, Philippines - Seven members of President Aquino’s official family still have to pass the scrutiny of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA), the CA secretariat said yesterday.

With only 12 session days to go before Congress goes into sine die adjournment on June 10, the CA is waiting for the go signal from its respective chairmen to schedule the confirmation hearings for Agrarian Reform Sec. Virgilio delos Reyes, Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima, Social Welfare Sec. Corazon Soliman, Public Works Sec. Rogelio Singson, Economic and Development Sec. Cayetano Paderanga and Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario.

The CA also needs to finish the review of the qualifications of about 20 ambassadors and around 151 military officers.

Before the Senate adjourned last March 23, the CA had confirmed the appointments of Budget Sec. Florencio Abad, Education Sec. Armin Luistro, Energy Sec. Jose Almendras, Executive Sec. Paquito Ochoa Jr., Tourism Sec. Alberto Lim, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, Trade Sec. Gregory Domingo, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, Labor Sec. Rosalinda Baldoz, Health Sec. Enrique Ona, and Science and Technology Sec. Mario Montejo.

Jesse Robredo and Ramon Paje, of the departments of Interior and Local Government, and of Environment and Natural Resources, respectively, are spared from the intense scrutiny of the CA because they are merely acting secretaries.

Congress resumed regular session yesterday after a 45-day break.

Politicians who lost in the May 2010 elections are expected to make a beeline for Malacañang to apply for government jobs as the one-year appointments ban ends today.

Among the election losers who are reportedly awaiting Cabinet positions are former Sen. Mar Roxas, who lost the vice presidency to former Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, and former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta, a defeated Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidate.

Speculation has it that Acosta would take over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from acting SecretaryPaje. He is also being rumored to head the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Another LP senatorial loser expected to get a government job is former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraquel.   – With Jess Diaz