By Mario Casayuran
The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed on Wednesday the appointments of 30 officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Commission on Appointments
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The CA also confirmed the appointments of 53 officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) led by five chiefs of mission, class I, and 10 chiefs of mission, class II based on the recommendation of the CA foreign affairs committee chaired by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson.
The confirmation process was held at the Senate session hall during a plenary session presided by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, concurrent CA chairman.
The confirmation of the 30 AFP officers led by Lt. General Ramiro Manuel A. Rey was recommended by Rep, Luis ‘’Jon Jon’’ A. Ferrer IV, chairman of the CA national defense committee.
Eight major generals were also confirmed.
`They were Joselito B. Ramos, Dante Hidalgo, Andres C. Centino, Antonio G. Parlade Jr., Adrian D. Sanchez, Connor Anthony D. Canlas Sr., Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr. and Adriano S. Perez Jr.
Also confirmed were 13 brigadier generals, three read admirals, three colonels, one Navy captain and one commodore.
The chiefs of mission, class I confirmed were Maria Amelita Cunanan Aquino, Junever M. Mahilum-West, Joseph Gerard Bacani Angeles, Noralyn Jubaira Baja and Wilfredo Cunanan Santos.
The chiefs of mission, class II confirmed were Jaime Ramon Torre Ascalon Jr., Igor Garlit Bailen, Raymond Reyes Balatbat, Maria Lourdes Monteagudo Salcedo, Marie Charlotte Golim Tang, Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio, Deena Joy Dy Amatong, Maria Agnes Maglasang Cervantes, Alan Lazaro Deniega and Angelica Caraos Escalona.
Deferred as the Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York was Rodolfo Dia Robles after Lacson asked why his position holds a ‘’permanent’’ status although his appointment would be co-terminus as that of President Duterte.
Robles’ confirmation was not submitted by the Lacson committee after a closed door meeting among senators and congressmen who are CA members.
Robles’s confirmation was put on hold after Senator Risa Hontiveros called for a caucus to discuss his confirmation.
“With China’s incursion in our Exclusive Economic Zone or our territorial sovereign waters, our people would like to know, what are we going to do with these challenges that we face?” opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan asked Robles during the CA committee hearing.
Robles is a former member of the 1971 Constitutional Convention and Duterte’s consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution.
Replying, Robles said: “I think what the government is doing, is doing it within its proper resources. We are actually trying to strengthen our military capability… But at the moment, we are actually not able to do anything except (raise) protests one after other saying this is an illegal act of China but at the same time, I'm not aware of what we really can do effectively to stop China from doing these.’