Ople to get CA nod as DFA chief - Loren

All senators in the Commission on Appointments (CA) will support the confirmation of Sen. Blas Ople if President Arroyo were to appoint him foreign affairs secretary, Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda said yesterday.

Senators normally defer to a former colleague undergoing confirmation by the CA because they personally know a senator’s capabilities, thus making it easier for them to confirm him, Legarda said.

A Lakas-NUCD source said yesterday that President Arroyo’s sounding out of her partymates showed positive response for Ople’s nomination as foreign affairs secretary because of his "track record, experience and status."

Meanwhile, failure to resolve the Senate impasse before Congress resumes session on July 22 will also spell trouble for the senators’ seating arrangement.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Heherson Alvarez III, a former senator, was having difficulty hurdling the CA due to opposition outside the Senate.

Ople had said that Alvarez would finally be confirmed before Congress went into recess in early June. However, a realignment in the Senate brought about by the bolting of Sen. John Osmeña from the administration party ruined Alvarez’s confirmation.

Legarda said, however, she was not sure if the congressmen representing the House in the CA will not pose any obstacle in confirming Ople.

"I am no longer sure if Senator Ople could breeze through the CA despite the support of senators because of the opposition of some congressmen, the civil society and some leaders in the administration," she said.

On the other hand, Sen. Edgardo Angara doubted whether Mrs. Arroyo will eventually appoint Ople as foreign affairs secretary.

"With the strong opposition of the civil society, with some Cabinet members threatening to quit, and with the criticisms of political commentators and columnists, President Arroyo will eventually desist from offering the Cabinet post to Senator Ople," Angara said.

"If she still persists despite the opposition, then there must be something else behind it," he said.

Also yesterday, Sen. Robert Barbers urged the President not to vacillate in appointing Ople to succeed Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. who is leaving the post of foreign affairs secretary on July 15.

Guingona is relinquishing the post following repeated policy disputes with Mrs. Arroyo, especially on the redeployment of the US troops via the joint RP-US Balikatan 02-1 anti-terror military exercise ending this month. A similar but expanded joint military exercise is under discussion.

Barbers said, "This is a decision of national interest and not a political strategy. It will be very best to appoint someone whom she believes deserves her trust and confidence because of his expertise rather than tap an official who may not be worthy of the job being offered."

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. said in jest that he hopes Ople becomes the next foreign affairs secretary so that he in turn becomes Senate President pro tempore.

During the June 3 anti-administration senators’ reorganization of the Senate, Ople was named Senate President pro tempore and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. majority floor leader.

They failed to unseat Senate President Franklin Drilon because they lacked one vote.

Pro-administration senators refused to recognize the Senate reorganization.

Seating arrangement a Senate problem?

Demaree Raval, Senate secretary appointed by the "new majority," issued yesterday two separate strongly worded memoranda ordering all concerned not to "disturb the seating arrangement" implemented on June 5.

Following the Senate reorganization on June 3, opposition senators now constituting the "new majority" occupied the left side of the plenary hall facing the podium, leaving vacant the right side of the hall which they used to occupy as minority members.

The new majority "usurped" the seats of the pro-administration senators who boycotted the session called to order by the opposition.

Raval issued the memoranda to Virginia Santos, director of the maintenance and general services bureau, and Maj. Gen. Jose Balajadia Jr., the Senate sergeant-at-arms.

"Do not follow any instruction to effect a rearrangement from anyone, much less from persons who are no longer officers of the Senate secretariat," Raval said in his memo to Santos.

Raval instructed Balajadia that he should ensure that "nobody else gains access to the plenary hall" to change the seating arrangement.

Senate officials and employees have been complaining about confusion on orders to be followed.

Drilon had said there should be no changes in Senate officials and administrative rules because the reorganization of the opposition was illegal.