MANILA, Philippines – A ranking official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday that Cristina Ponce-Enrile was named ambassador to the Vatican to replace Leonida Vera and is just awaiting the agrement (a letter of acceptance) from the Holy See.
The official, who asked not to be named, said the appointment of a new envoy to the Holy See will be formally announced by Malacañang in the days to come after which it will be submitted to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation.
The estranged wife of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is expected to assume her diplomatic duties once the Vatican accepts her as the new envoy.
The agrement may come first even before the CA confirms her.
“She has been appointed ambassador but still waiting for the agrement,” the official said.
Diplomatic sources said on Thursday that Ambassador to Vatican Leonida Vera resigned from her post to “give way” to her successor who was already chosen by Malacañang but whose appointment still has to be formalized.
However, an official of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines said Malacañang should first seek the bishops’ approval before it chooses an envoy to the Vatican.
Sources said that Vera, who was appointed ambassador to the Holy See in 2004, resigned even before the new ambassador was named. They said Vera already knew that Mrs. Enrile would replace her even before she submitted her resignation.
“Ambassador Vera resigned to give way to her replacement. Although nothing is official as to the new ambassador who would take her post, she already knew that she had a replacement. She jumped the gun by resigning,” a source said.
Still other sources said the appointment of Cristina Ponce-Enrile was a “concession” between Enrile and Malacañang for his support of the Arroyo administration and administration-backed measures.
“She resigned because of that,” another source said.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) received a letter from the envoy to inform the prelates that she resigned from her post. The resignation was supposedly tendered after Vera sensed that Malacañang was to replace her with Mrs. Enrile, who was reportedly endorsed by presidential assistant on religious affairs Fatima Valdes.
Meanwhile, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr., chair of public affairs committee of CBCP, yesterday asked Malacañang to consult leaders of the local Church hierarchy in appointing a replacement for Vera.
“Although it is not necessarily required for them to do that, I think it will be of much help if the ambassador to the Vatican gets the backing of the bishops,” Iniguez told The STAR.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye admitted in an interview “there is a recommendation (to appoint)” but refused to go into details.
But Bunye stressed there was nothing official yet on Vera’s resignation and appointment of Mrs. Enrile. – With Edu Punay