Palace stands by DFA's decision to extend term of ambassadors

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang stood pat on its decision to extend the term of ambassadors by three more months amid the looming controversy over their appointments.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said they would give the ambassadors three more months to wind up affairs as decided by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

Lacierda said Malacañang is also aware of the legal questions raised by the Association of Foreign Service Officers (UNIFORS) over the extension of the appointments of ambassadors.

The UNIFORS warned they would file a case against Romulo for violation of the law for extending the appointments of the ambassadors.

They said the appointments are only valid until June 30, or the date when the tenure of the appointing power, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ends.

The UNIFORS said President Aquino could not extend the appointments made by his predecessor but should resubmit their names to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for confirmation.

Lacierda said Ochoa and Romulo had already discussed the implications of extending the appointments.

“So the purpose why they were retained for three months is to make sure that the services of our diplomatic posts are not disrupted. That’s as far as I know and I understand that Secretary Romulo has already made a statement in that regard,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda also pointed out the diplomatic implications of promptly ordering the recall of the ambassadors from their tour of duties abroad.

Unlike the national government, Lacierda said officials working in foreign consulates and embassies are required to be constantly present.

“It’s not as fast as how we would look at it if it was done domestically. There are foreign (and) diplomatic implications, that’s why Secretary Romulo made the decision,” he said.

Lacierda said that after three months, the charge d’ affaires would take over if no ambassador for a certain country was named.

“You must remember that the new ambassador must be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments and it takes some time. The Congress has not constituted yet, so that’s what Secretary Romulo and Secretary Ochoa thought of – to extend the term of political ambassadors by three months,” he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe