Reyes concedes he will never get CA nod

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes conceded yesterday he would not get the Commission on Appointments’ (CA) confirmation again this year.

“They failed to confirm me again,” Reyes told The STAR.

He said there was no quorum for yesterday’s deliberation because members of the House of Representatives were not able to attend.

Sen. Richard Gordon, who was chairman of the CA screening committee, offered to reset the hearing on Dec. 10 but Reyes said it was okay if it would already be in January.

Reyes will be considered bypassed since he will not get the CA nod before Congress goes on a break on Dec. 22.

Reyes said it was all right if he would have to wait again to be confirmed.

The energy chief was appointed last year in place of Raphael Lotilla.

Arch critics of Reyes in the Senate include Sen. Miriam Defensor- Santiago and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada who had been questioning his qualifications for the job.

Santiago said she did not like the performance of Reyes as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary. He also served as defense chief.

Reyes was the Armed Forces chief of staff who withdrew support from Estrada’s father, Joseph, then president, effectively sealing his ouster and replacement by his then vice president, now President Arroyo, during a popular uprising in 2001.

Santiago has always maintained that Reyes’ withdrawal of support for Estrada was unconstitutional.