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THE
bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) is set to
finally confirm on Wednesday at least four key Cabinet
members and dozens of senior military and diplomatic
officials, including the new Armed Forces chief, Cebu
Rep. Eduardo Gullas, the new acting head of the
12-member House contingent to the CA, said Monday.
Gullas
said the CA is also looking to finally confirm Interior
Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Commission on Elections
Chairman Jose Melo.
“We are
hoping that the appointments of both Secretary Puno and
Chairman Melo would be cleared at the committee level
tomorrow, Tuesday, so that we can then endorse both of
them for final confirmation the following day, when we
hold our last plenary session,” Gullas said.
The CA’s
Committee on the Interior and Local Government, Regional
Consultative Commissions and Regional Autonomous
Governments is scheduled to hear and decide Puno’s
appointment tomorrow, Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in a separate hearing, the CA’s Committee on
Constitutional Commissions and Offices is set to hear
for the second time and resolve Melo’s appointment
Tuesday.
Gullas
named the Cabinet members and other officials already
assured of final confirmation during the CA’s plenary
session on Wednesday.
They are
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., Finance Secretary
Margarito Teves, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Health
Secretary Francisco Duque III, Armed Forces chief of
staff Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano and Commission on Audit
chairman Reynaldo Villar.
Also set
for final confirmation are Ambassadors Francisco
Benedicto (to India), Noe Wong (to Cambodia), Cristina
Castañer-Ponce Enrile (to the
Vatican)
and dozens of senior officers at the Department of
Foreign Affairs and the Department of National Defense.
“In
fact, tomorrow, Tuesday, the foreign affairs and
national defense committees of the CA are scheduled to
separately hold extra hearings to screen more diplomatic
and military officers, hopefully so that we can have
them all finally confirmed Wednesday,” Gullas said.
Gullas
also hopes that Comelec commissioner Moslemen Macarambon
Sr. would be finally confirmed. |
