Gibo, Herbosa among 30 appointees awaiting CA confirmation

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 30 appointees of President Marcos, including Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, are still awaiting confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA) when Congress resumes session on July 24.

Twenty-five of them are newly promoted senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, led by Philippine Air Force Maj. Gen. Rommel Roldan, while the others are Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Mersole Mellejor and Department of Foreign Affairs Chief of Mission, Class II Raquel Solano.

Also up for confirmation is Philippe Jones Lhuillier, whom Marcos nominated for a second tour of duty as Philippine ambassador to Spain with concurrent jurisdiction over Andorra, the small principality between Spain and Portugal.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the powerful bicameral CA screening body, said Lhuillier’s new nomination papers are now with the CA.

The senior lawmaker from Mindanao sits in the CA, a privilege for being a House assistant minority leader.

“We now have a total of 30 presidential appointees or nominees awaiting confirmation hearings by the CA,” Pimentel said.

The 25-member CA is empowered by the 1987 Constitution to scrutinize the competence, suitability and integrity of key presidential appointees, including foreign service officers, and to approve or disapprove their appointments.

All presidential appointees are expected to undergo CA confirmation hearings soon after the 19th Congress opens its second regular session on Monday, shortly after Marcos delivers his second State of the Nation Address.