CA panel endorses Reyes confirmation

The Commission on Appointments (CA) subcommittee on defense and security under Sen. Rodolfo Biazon finally endorsed the confirmation of Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes yesterday.

But Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez was not so lucky, after the CA subcommittee on justice chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson adjourned yesterday’s hearing to allow more time for those opposing Gonzalez’s appointment to appear.

Malacañang was unperturbed, however, by the delay in confirming Gonzalez and other Cabinet, diplomatic and military officials.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Malacañang would just wait for the CA’s action on the other appointments and is hoping that more officials would be confirmed before Congress adjourns on June 10.

"If they (the appointees) are not confirmed, the President can always issue an interim appointment to make sure that they’d be doing their functions even without the CA confirmation," Ermita said.

He explained that there was nothing unusual in the non-confirmation of Gonzalez as there were other diplomatic and military officials whose appointments had not yet been confirmed by the CA, including Armed Forces chief Gen. Efren Abu, who is retiring before the end of the month.

After several hitches, the CA hearing on Gonzalez’s appointment pushed through yesterday with 10 congressmen in attendance led by Surigao Rep. Prospero Pichay and a handful of senators including Juan Ponce Enrile, Rodolfo Biazon and Lacson.

"He is bypassed by the commission simply because tomorrow is the last day of session. And he needs to be reappointed so that he could be heard in the next hearing," Lacson explained.

Lacson and Gonzalez had an unfriendly exchange of words over the latter’s alleged involvement in a harassment case and "threats" to file charges against jueteng whistle-blowers attending the Senate inquiry.

Meanwhile, Rep. Eduardo Veloso moved to elevate Reyes’ appointment to the plenary yesterday and this was seconded by at least three congressmen.

The announcement drew loud applause from the crowd of Reyes’ supporters ranging from police officials to private businessmen.

Reyes will join Environment Secretary Michael Defensor in the plenary session today to face the CA, led by Senate President Franklin Drilon, for final confirmation.

Reyes was visibly elated over the decision of the committee as he shook hands with supporters.

"I would like to thank the CA for this show of confidence in my fitness and ability to hold this important position as DILG secretary. I’d like to thank the President for her continuous support," he said, adding that the confirmation "will only inspire me to work even harder."

Reyes was bypassed at least three times in the past due to the long list of those opposing his appointment as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In past hearings, Senators Sergio Osmeña III and Miriam Defensor-Santiago questioned Reyes several times over his family’s foreign trips, their townhouse at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City and his promotion of military generals — including embattled former comptroller Gen. Carlos Garcia who is now being investigated for graft charges — to juicy positions.

Reyes also faced rough sailing in his bid for CA confirmation when one of his many opponents, retired Col. Cristobal Irlanda, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class ’54, accused him of violating military rules and security regulations for appointing Victor Corpus as chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shortly after the EDSA II people power action in 2001.

One of the highlights of the hearing came when the CA grilled a certain Jonathan Tiongco after he had been identified as the same person who had "coached" another witness, Rosalie Ramoso.

Ramoso and another opponent, Christopher Elizalde, failed to back up accusations that Reyes was involved in a number of summary executions.

A fourth witness, Eduardo Arabit, was also grilled for blocking Reyes’ confirmation. Arabit was working as a driver for an Arab-owned company when he was picked up by agents of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and wrongly accused of being a terrorist. He said he was opposing Reyes’ appointment because of "his injustices to Muslims, the loss of my job and the NAKTF’s illegal activities like kidnapping."