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THE
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has maintained it
would continue serving the post as vice president of the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) even
as former permanent representative to the UN Lauro Baja
said the post has been relinquished to Japan.
DFA
spokesman Claro Cristobal said Foreign Affairs Secretary
Alberto Romulo has instructed the Philippine Mission to
the UN to push through with its term as vice president
of the Ecosoc, an organ of the UN.
“The
secretary has given the instruction to the mission to
assure the Asian Group that the
Philippines
is willing to continue serving the post by providing a
vice president,” Cristobal said in an interview on
Monday.
He said
the UN mission’s press officer Elmer Cato has denied
issuing the statement where Baja said that the
Philippines will lose the seat as a result of his recall
to the home office.
President Arroyo appointed former Supreme Court Chief
Justice Hilario Davide Jr. on January 14, 2007 replacing
Baja. Davide flew to New York on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. to
begin his official mission. He was welcomed by the
officers and staff of the mission, led by its charge d’
affaires, Ambassador Bayani Mercado.
The disowned e-mail, which was attributed to Mr. Cato,
stated that: “Baja was unanimously elected in his
personal capacity as vice president of Ecosoc after the
Philippines
topped the elections for the council held on November 2
last year. This is the first time that the Philippines
topped an election to a major organ of the UN.”
Ambassador Baja served as head of the Philippine Mission
to the UN from May 2003 to
February 21, 2007.
He requested for an extension of six months but
President Arroyo rejected it and announced Davide’s
appointment in January during the 12th Asean Summit in
Cebu.
The
disowned e-mail, sent using Mr. Cato’s office address,
had said that Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, Permanent
Representative of Japan, was taking over the vice
presidency of Ecosoc.
But
Cristobal said Baja can relinquish the post to another
only upon instructions of President Arroyo and the DFA
secretary. |
