5 Cabinet members fail to get CA nod

MANILA, Philippines – Bypassed again.

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, June 6, failed to confirm yet again the appointments of 5 Cabinet members of the Aquino administration during the 2nd regular session of the 15th Congress.

Bypassed by the powerful body were Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Interior, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez.

Because Congress goes on break starting Thursday, June 7, their confirmations have been bypassed and the President will have to re-appoint them.

Lucky ambassador

The Philippines’ appointed ambassador to Syria, however, was more fortunate.

Nestor Padalhin finally got the CA’s nod after submitting his corrected Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Last week, the CA deferred Padalhin’s confirmation after senators pointed out that he did not declare a three-bedroom residential unit in the US in his SALNs. That was on May 30, a day after the Senate sitting as an impeachment court convicted Chief Justice Renato Corona for SALN omissions.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the chair of the CA committee that endorsed Padalhin’s confirmation, said lawmakers accepted Padalhin’s explanation that he received wrong legal advice about his SALNs. Padalhin had said during his first confirmation hearing that he did not declare the property in his 2008-2011 SALNs because he has not finished paying for it and it’s located abroad.

“The attitude of at least the committee on foreign relations is leniency,” said Santiago, who voted for Corona’s acquittal in the impeachment trial on May 29.

She added, “You can see here apparently a shift of mood among senators”

The commission also confirmed the nomination of Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia as ambassador to Thailand. Henry Bensurto Jr. was confirmed as chief of mission. – Rappler.com