Cong Pimentel: 25 newly promoted AFP officials added to CA list
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Facebook)
The Commission on Appointments (CA) has received the appointment papers of 25 newly-promoted senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), CA Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Johnny Pimentel bared on Sunday, July 2. “The CA received their appointment papers from Malacañang on June 27,” said Pimentel, a senior Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) stalwart who represents Surgao del Sur's 2nd district. “The batch is composed of a major general from the Air Force, 20 brigadier generals from the Air Force, Army and the Marines, three commodores from the Navy, plus a lone colonel from the Army,” he noted. Composed of select House of Representatives and Senate members, the CA is empowered by the 1987 Constitution to scrutinize the competence, fitness and integrity of key presidential appointees, including military officers from the rank of colonel or naval captain, and to approve or disapprove them. Pimentel identified the new military appointees as follows: Air Force Major General Rommel Roldan; Air Force Brigadier Generals Juliano Llarenas, Ulysses Marquez, Jesus Nelson Morales; and Army Brigadier Generals Anthon Abrina, Taharudin Ampatuan, Marion Angcao, Felix Ronnie Babac, Peter Burgonio, Maynard Camarao, Ferdinand Melchor Dela Cruz, Joey Escanillas, Francisco Lorenzo Jr., Arnel Jose Morada, Efren Morados, Dennis Pacis, Andre Santos, Gulliver Señires, Elmer Suderio, Christopher Tampus. Also up for confirmation by the CA are Marine Brigadier General Antonio Mangoroban Jr.; Navy Commodores Edward Ike De Sagon, Dwight Steven Dulnoan, Salvador Henry Quinto; and Army Colonel Eugene Henry Cabusao. The bicameral body also received on June 6 the appointment papers of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. The commission also received on June 2 the papers of Mersole Mellejor as Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria (with concurrent jurisdiction over 12 other Central and West African countries), and Raquel Solano as Chief of Mission, Class II, at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Their appointments won’t be deliberated upon by the CA until after the second regular session of the 19th Congress opens on July 24. The first regular session was adjourned sine die last May 30.