Gullas heads House contingent to CA

Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas was elected as chairman of the Lower House’s contingent to the powerful Commission on Appointments during a plenary last Wednesday.

Being the head of the House’s contingent, the veteran Cebuano legislator automatically becomes the vice chairman of the Commission.

Joining Gullas in the 12-man body that represents the House as members are Reps. Arthur Celeste, Jose Carlos Lacson, Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, Eileen Ermita-Buhain, Rodolfo Albano III, Conrado Estrella, Rodolfo Plaza, Jose Yap, Abdullah Dimaporo, Eduardo Zialcita and Emmanuel Joel Villanueva.

The Lower House and the Senate have 12 members each in the CA, which is primarily tasked to review and confirm the cabinet-level appointees of the president.

Last June, Gullas had almost resigned from the Commission when he learned that Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte was being groomed to replace him as head of the House contingent to the CA.

Gullas served as acting chief of this body since Rep. Prospero Nograles vacated the post after being elected as House Speaker in February. It was Nograles himself who recommended that Gullas temporarily took over his post while the House was being reorganized.

Gullas had said then that anybody could take the post except Villafuerte, whom he described as a junior member of the contingent.

However, the members of the commission stopped him from resigning by tearing off his resignation letter.

During the first regular session of the 14th Congress, the CA, which is chaired by Senate President Manny Villar, had confirmed 10 cabinet members, two constitutional officers, one for the judicial and bar council, 15 ambassadors, 15 chiefs of mission, 19 career ministers, 14 foreign service officers, one general, six lieutenant generals, 10 commodores, 160 colonels, and 28 naval captains. — Liv G. Campo/WAB