'Noy's call led to Luistro's confirmation'

MANILA, Philippines - A telephone call from President Aquino to a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) led to the confirmation last month of Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

A congressman sitting in the CA told The STAR  yesterday that his CA colleague Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Rosendo Labadlabad was planning to object to Luistro’s confirmation on Dec. 15, the last day of session of the commission before Congress went on its Christmas break two days later.

The President’s eyes and ears in the appointments body promptly informed him of Labadlabad’s plan, said the source.

Aquino then phoned the Mindanao congressman, who is his partymate in the Liberal Party (LP), to request him to desist from objecting to Luistro, who was confirmed together with three other Cabinet members.

The source said Labadlabad had some concerns in his district that he wanted the education secretary to address.

Asked why the President is not calling other CA and House members objecting to the confirmation of Energy Secretary Rene Almendras and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, the source said this is because those opposed to the two Cabinet members are not Aquino’s partymates.

The CA energy committee was ready to endorse Almendras’ confirmation had it not been for the objection raised by Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron, who belongs to the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.

According to Biron, his issue with Almendras is “about bribery, which attended the power supply agreement between ILECO (Iloilo Electric Cooperative) 3 and the independent power producer, ARTECH.”

“Next is the questionable sale of the Panay power plant for $5 million when the valuation was $30 million. On top of that, the power plant in Bohol was given away for free,” he said.

He said Almendras has to explain these transactions even if these took place before his appointment as energy secretary.

In the case of Purisima, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez is objecting to his confirmation because of a tax controversy involving his province and the town of Pagbilao, on one hand, and a big coal-fired power plant in Pagbilao, on the other.

The province and the town have been trying to collect more than P6 billion in back taxes from the power plant’s owners. It is not clear what Purisima’s involvement is in the controversy or his role in its resolution.

Several CA members and Malacañang officials have been batting for the confirmation of Purisima and Almendras, saying the issues against them relate to transactions that took place before President Aquino recruited them to his Cabinet.

The two Cabinet members have promised to look into the concerns raised by Biron and Suarez.

Unlike Biron, Suarez, who belongs to the minority bloc in the House, does not sit in the CA.

Confirmed with Luistro on Dec. 15 were Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.