CA bypasses confirmation of seven Aquino appointees

MANILA, Philippines – On the objection of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, the Commission on Appointments (CA) bypassed President Aquino’s appointment of five ambassadors and two commissioners for the audit and civil service offices.

Enrile invoked Section 20 of the CA Rules during the commission’s plenary session yesterday, effectively bypassing the seven nominees without any reason needed or objection allowed.

“Ambassadors deployed abroad are representatives of the president. It will be unfair to the next president if these people are appointed by the outgoing president. Three years tenure, you deprive the president of selecting the people that he would want to represent him,” Enrile said, explaining that his move would allow the next leader a free hand in choosing his representatives.

Those affected were commissioners Isabel Dasalla-Agito of the Commission on Audit and Nieves Osorio of the Civil Service Commission; and Ambassadors Charles Jose (Malaysia), Denis Lepatan (Norway with concurrent jurisdiction over Iceland, Denmark, Finland and Sweden), Celia Anna Feria (Spain and Andorra), Uriel Norman Garibay (Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environmental Program and United Nations Human Settlements Program) and Lilybeth Deapera (Chile, Peru and Ecuador).

Enrile said he wanted to prevent Aquino from packing the constitutional commissions with his people, referring to Agito and Osorio, “so, I have to perform my duty as an opposition and a minority floor leader.”

Section 20 of the CA Rules states: “Any member may move for the suspension of action by the Commission on any nomination or appointment favorably recommended by a standing committee and the Chairman shall suspend the consideration of said nomination or appointment.”

It also states that “such suspension may be taken up on the next succeeding session of the Commission; Provided, further, that this section shall not apply to nominations or appointments taken up by the Commission during the last session prior to a sine die adjournment of Congress.”

Senate President Franklin Drilon said the affected ambassadors would not be able to go to their posts until the CA confirms their appointments. He added that the President would have to issue a new ad interim appointment for Osorio and Agito to continue serving in their respective posts.

Also yesterday, the CA confirmed the promotions of 28 senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as follows: Lt. Generals Romeo Tanalgo, Glorioso Miranda and Mayoralgo de la Cruz; Maj. Generals Arnold Rafael Depakakibo, Benjamin Madrigal Jr. and Job Yucoco; Rear Admirals Bayani Gaerlan and Rafael Mariano; Brigadier Generals Noel Clement, Ronnie Evangelista, Robert Arevalo, Dinoh Dolina, Arnel de la Vega, Gerry Amante, Rodel Mauro Alarcon, David Diciano, Nelia Valmonte and Gener del Rosario; Commodores Francisco Gabudao Jr. and Danilo Rodelas; Colonels Jonathan Gabor, Harold Anthony Pascua, Armand Arevalo, Consolito Yecla, Gerudel Dellosa and Raul Hernandez (Navy Reserve), and Captain Aldrin Doctor.