Commission on Appointments questions envoy's perceived bias for Taiwan, defers confirmation

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Appointments (CA) committee on foreign affairs deferred yesterday the confirmation of Ambassador to China Domingo Lee because members want him to answer more questions, especially on his perceived bias for Taiwan and alleged lack of career experience in the foreign service.

Senate President and concurrent CA chairman Juan Ponce Enrile and Senators Sergio Osmeña and Panfilo Lacson have manifested to Sen. Miriam Defenso-Santiago, chair of the CA committee on foreign affairs, that they wanted to question the fitness of President Aquino’s nominee for China.

“The interpellation is ongoing,” Santiago said.

Santiago made the statement after emerging from a rather tense CA hearing marred by her move to cite for contempt a Hong Kong-based businessman who earlier opposed the appointment of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

According to Santiago, some of her colleagues were concerned about Lee’s old age, lack of efficient career experience in foreign service and his leaning towards Taiwan.

The government has adopted a one-China policy, further bolstered by Aquino’s recent state visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Santiago said Lee has no foreign service experience, except as ambassador at-large during the term of President Corazon Aquino when he negotiated for Filipino nationals in Taiwan.

Santiago also said that one of the criticisms against Lee, 76, is his age, which might cast doubt on his ability to handle the rigors of his job.

The senator added that Lee is supposedly a card-carrying member of the Kuomintang party of Taiwan.

Lee held the following positions in private business: chair of the board and president, New Dynasty International; chair of the board and CEO, Philippine Banking Corp.; adviser, Tower Steel Corp.; director, San Miguel Corp.; adviser, Metrobank Foundation; and senior adviser, Philippine Savings Bank.

But those in favor of Lee’s nomination countered that it would actually be an asset for Lee, because Chinese leaders are said to favor the Kuomintang party and its one-China policy.

Miriam blows top

During the CA hearing, Santiago lost her temper at businessman Chung Hing Wong, also known as Joseph Wong, for opposing the nomination of Del Rosario and later on threatening to file an ethics complaint against her.

“You are a Chinese national [and] for that reason, you have no right to appear as a party in any nomination hearing before this court. You have no right to appear on television and intimidate a senator of the republic. You are making a living out of the Philippine economy,” she said.

Wong carries a British passport and is married to a Filipina.

“I cite you for contempt, where is the Sergeant-at-Arms? Take this man. That is the order of the chair,” Santiago said.

As members of the Senate security proceeded to take Wong out of the Padilla Room where the CA hearings were being held, Wong’s wife Rica pleaded before the committee and offered an apology.