Soliman: Please don’t pit me vs Miriam

MANILA, Philippines - Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman yesterday called on the public, particularly the media, not to pit her against Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who has been opposing her confirmation before the Commission on Appointments (CA).

After four years of waiting, Soliman is expected to be confirmed by the CA tomorrow during its last session before the annual adjournment of Congress.

“I have nothing ill to say about Sen. Santiago. I respect and recognize her right to perform her fiscalizing role,” she said.

“Hence, I appeal to the public in general and the media in particular, please do not pit Sen. Santiago and me against each other.”

Soliman said the check and balance in the country’s democracy is strengthened by Santiago’s diligence.

She added that the senator’s independence of mind and determination to seek the truth “are appreciated by many, including myself.”

Soliman said she continues to pray for Santiago’s health after the she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The CA committee on labor, employment and social welfare chaired by Rep. Conrado Estrella III had earlier recommended Soliman’s confirmation.

Estrella said Santiago could no longer invoke Section 20 of the commission’s rules to block Soliman’s confirmation since it would be the last CA session tomorrow.

Income taxes

Soliman may face questions regarding the income taxes she paid years before joining the Cabinet of President Aquino in 2010.

Documents showed that she only paid P7,450 in income tax in 2006. For 2007, she paid P17,770 in income tax. She was tax exempt in 2008.

Soliman had worked as consultant for various agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the Canadian International Development Agency.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue issued a ruling in 2013 that compensation received by Filipinos employed by foreign governments, diplomatic missions and international organizations based in the country are taxable income.

“But those consultancy jobs were in 2007 to 2009, early part (of 2009),” Soliman told The STAR.

“They can always check with the BIR,” she added.

She said there is no reason to make an issue over her income tax payments.

“Those are public documents and they are available at the CA where I have submitted them,” she said.

Longest DSWD tenure

Soliman is leaving no stone unturned to get the CA confirmation, Santiago said yesterday.

She has served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for some eight years – a term of office even longer than the term of the Philippine president.

Soliman served as DSWD chief during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She was appointed to the same position by President Aquino in 2010.

She was bypassed by the CA 15 times, Santiago said.

Earlier, the senator wrote a letter to Estrella, expressing her intent to veto Soliman’s confirmation. However, CA members affiliated with the President moved her confirmation to June 11 in a bid to stop Santiago from blocking her appointment.

“You can see that this maneuver is not only crude and infantile, but also an insult to me as a senator, and to the public as thinking citizens,” she said.