Obama names new ambassador to Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The envoy expelled from Bolivia for allegedly fomenting civil unrest there is taking over as the new US ambassador to the Philippines.

US President Barack Obama has nominated Philip Goldberg to replace Harry Thomas Jr., who is ending his tour of duty this month, according to a statement from the White House forwarded by the US embassy yesterday. 

Goldberg’s nomination is subject to approval by the US Congress.

Related: Philip Goldberg, US intelligence official

Goldberg, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class Career-minister, served as assistant secretary for intelligence and research at the US State Department since 2010.

Goldberg served as ambassador to Bolivia from 2006 to 2008. Bolivian President Evo Morales, who claimed Goldberg conspired against democracy and sought division in the country, declared him persona non grata. 

Washington had since denied the accusations against Goldberg as baseless.

Two years before his Bolivia post, Goldberg served as chief of mission in Pristina, Kosovo. He also served as charge d’affaires and deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Santiago, Chile from 2001 to 2004 and as acting deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs in 2001. 

Goldberg was also a special assistant then executive assistant to the deputy secretary of state and served at the department’s Bosnia desk from 1994 to 1996. He also served as consular and political officer at the US embassy in Bogota, Colombia and political-economic officer in Pretoria, South Africa. 

Before joining the foreign service, Goldberg was liaison officer between New York and the United Nations.