Roxas, Abaya get CA nod

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Appointments confirmed on Wednesday outgoing Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas and Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya as new heads of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), respectively.

However, Santiago withdrew her decision to veto Roxas' appointment after Sen. Vicente Sotto III approached her.

Santiago earlier said she would veto Roxas' appointment during the confirmation hearing by the CA plenary session.

The senator also made similar threats against other members of the Cabinet who snubbed her committee's hearing on resigned DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno.

Other Cabinet members who Santiago invited but were absent in last Friday's hearing were Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje Jr., whose appointments are also up for confirmation.

Roxas had explained that he declined the invitation to the hearing because he was not yet the official head of the DILG.

"I thought that the prudent thing to do was to say that I'm not in the DILG; I'm not familiar with the work of Undersecretary Puno," Roxas said.