CA confirms 11 ambassadors, 12 career DFA officials

The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed yesterday the appointments of 11 ambassadors and 12 career officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Meeting as a whole, the lawmakers comprising the CA gave their consent to the recommendation of the committee on foreign affairs headed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago on the appointments and nominations of DFA Assistant Secretary for Office of Middle East and American Affairs (OMEA) Norberto Basilio as ambassador to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Protocol chief Jose Zaide as ambassador to France and Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Susan Castrence as ambassador to North Korea.

DFA Undersecretary Sonia Brady was confirmed as ambassador to China with concurrent jurisdiction over South Korea and Mongolia.

Among the other appointments approved were those of Jose del Rosario Jr. to Jordan with jurisdiction over Palestinian Republic, Linglingay Lacanlale to Austria with concurrent jurisdiction over Croatia, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic; Jaime Yambao to Pakistan with concurrent jurisdiction over Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan and Bahnarim Guinomla to Turkey with concurrent jurisdiction over Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The CA also approved the nominations of Al Francis Bichara to Lebanon, Victoriano Lecaros to Malaysia and Ramoncito Marino to Palau.

Marino’s confirmation was initially deferred upon the request of Sen. Edgardo Angara but he eventually decided to withdraw his motion.

The CA also decided to defer the nomination of Philippe Lhuillier as ambassador to Argentina upon the motion of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, pending the arrival of the nominee from Rome.

Santiago also announced the confirmation of 12 career officers of the DFA, namely career ministers Ma. Rosario Aguinaldo, Junever Mahilum-West, Frank Cimafranca, Domingo Nolasco, Reynaldo Catapang, Sahid Glang, Constancio Vingno and Noel Eugene Servignon, Foreign Service Officers II Adelio Angelito Cruz, Marlowe Miranda and Enrico Fos and FSO I Renato Pedro Villa.

Brady will now replace Ambassador to China Willy Gaa who was initially removed from his post and demoted to deputy to Ambassador Albert del Rosario in Washington for 10 days, diplomatic sources revealed yesterday.

Sources claimed Gaa got a call from Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo last Friday night and was ordered to pack his bags and proceed to Washington to serve as the deputy chief of mission there for 10 days.

"Secretary Romulo called Ambassador Gaa on a Friday night and asked him how much time he would need before he could move to Washington," one of the sources disclosed.

No official reason was given for the apparent demotion of Gaa and his sudden reassignment to Washington but it was apparent in the confirmation of Brady.

Romulo had failed to inform Gaa, former assistant secretary for Asia Pacific Affairs (ASPAC), of his reasons for the sudden transfer and whether he would return to head the diplomatic mission in Beijing.

"It’s a demotion. Ambassador Gaa felt bad. Why would you pull him out from his post when there’s no urgency? No reason was given for pulling him out," another source said.

They claimed Gaa, who is expected to be named Consul General in Los Angeles to replace Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr., became a victim of "internal politics" in the DFA.

"(He should be appointed as) ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary... and never be assigned deputy ambassador," a source said.

Gaa ended his tour of duty in Australia in January 2002. He headed the ASPAC division at the DFA before his posting to Beijing in November 2003.

One possible reason for the sudden reassignment of Gaa, according to some career officials, could be in anticipation of Brady’s confirmation by the CA.

Sources disclosed Brady made plain her wishes to be appointed as ambassador to China before Christmas.

Brady, however, could not be reached for comment as her office turned down requests for an interview about Gaa’s transfer to Washington and her new appointment.

Reporters were asked to leave her office, citing a supposed directive prohibiting the media from entering any of the DFA offices.