3 more political ambassadors to be retained, sources say

MANILA, Philippines - Three more political ambassadors from the 21 non-career ambassadors whose tour of duty was extended will be reappointed, sources at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Sources told The STAR that Ambassadors Rigoberto Tiglao (Greece), Ernesto de Leon (Australia) and Ramoncito Marino (Palau) are among the political ambassadors coterminous with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be retained.

Ambassadors Francisco Benedicto (China), Maria Consuelo Puyat-Reyes (Chile), Mercedes Arrastia-Tuason (Vatican), Noe Wong (Cambodia), and Manuel Antonio Teehankee (Geneva WTO), were also reappointed. Puyat-Reyes is the longest-serving ambassador from the Ramos administration.

Manuel Lopez, former Meralco chair, was nominated ambassador to Japan after former ambassador to Tokyo Domingo Siazon ended his tour of duty last Sept. 30.

Sources said political Ambassadors Alexander Yano (Brunei), Jose Brillantes (Canada) and Francisco Ortigas III (Mexico) ended their tour of duty.

Ranking career diplomats said the public, their “boss,” has a right to know who are the political ambassadors whose tours of duty were extended for three months.

A copy of the political ambassadors’ records obtained by The STAR detailed that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Australia complained that De Leon was usually inaccessible, even on official time, available only between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The complaints included De Leon’s excessive golfing and attending graduate classes at Australian National University when he learned that obtaining two years of graduate education could qualify him for residency.

De Leon, a former Navy chief, has yet to rebut allegations linking him to the infamous 2005 “Hello, Garci” scandal, for which he was allegedly rewarded with the Canberra posting.

In a Senate investigation, Gen. Francisco Gudani, then commander of the 1st Marine Brigade and head of Task Force Ranao based in Marawi, named De Leon as one of two senior officers who told him to leave his post during the canvassing of votes in Lanao del Sur.

It was in those Mindanao provinces where election officials allegedly tampered with poll results in favor of Arroyo.

Tiglao was referred to as the one who suggested to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo that Union of Foreign Service Officers (UNIFORS) president Victoria Bataclan, a lawyer and a topnotcher of her FSO batch, be hailed to court for insubordination. “He draws satisfaction and a sense of false superiority in berating and publicly humiliating career diplomats at post,” it said.

Wong, another retired general, is referred to as a recycled ambassador to repay Arroyo’s political debts.

The document said Benedicto has served for so long that he remarked at his Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmation for Beijing that he considers himself a career diplomat.

“China experts also allege that he compromises RP’s position on the Spratlys, and that he negotiates death penalty cases of Filipinos without clearance from the home office,” the document said.

Without interruption, the 73-year-old Puyat-Reyes is the longest serving political ambassador, for 11 years running. 

“A known political balimbing (turncoat), she was in Manila earlier this year. The day after she called on Mrs. Arroyo, she was photographed at the Cory Swatch watch launching in Makati, in an all yellow ensemble, flashing the ‘L’ sign,” the document said, referring to the “Laban” hand sign that was the signature of the Aquino campaign.

The oldest serving political ambassador at 80 years old is Tuason. Her late husband was a cousin of former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. Upon her nomination, Tuason remarked that she would fulfill her “usual duties” of an envoy to the Vatican, which she said include “service to the Pope.”

The political ambassadors personally handpicked by Arroyo to represent her throughout the world also represented President Aquino for three months after he approved the recommendation of Foreign Secretary Romulo and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to extend them because they would still require additional time to complete protocolar and administrative arrangements before leaving their host countries.