Appointments commission to decide DENR’s future

Today, the Commission on Appointments will meet to decide on what action to take in the case of Heherson Alvarez’s designation as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s choice of the official who should head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Our only wish is that the issue be decided on facts presented, meaning the qualifications of the candidate for the position and not on political and personal intrigues.

There is no doubt that a campaign is being waged against the confirmation of Heherson Alvarez’s appointment. This is a free country and people have the right to question the appointments of public officials. But they must support their accusations with facts, not rumor, gossip and hearsay. One of those who tried to sabotage Alvarez’s appointment went as far as presenting evidence backed by a forged signature of Vice President Teofisto Guingona. That is the kind of evidence that damns not the accused, but the accuser.

Almost a year ago, Alvarez, who was then a senator, had the distinction of being the first non-lawyer to be appointed head of the Senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee. Again, some of his critics maintain that he fooled the Senate by saying that he was a lawyer. The facts of the case are clear. Here is the news item published in the Inquirer on September 2, 1993 on his appointment to said position:

"Senate President Edgardo Angara has designated Sen. Heherson Alvarez to head the Blue Ribbon Committee, amid misgivings by other senators over the appointment. Alvarez’ designation broke a long tradition of lawyer-senators heading the committee tasked to look into accountability of public officials. ‘I’m not a lawyer but I know the law.’ Alvarez countered, adding he is a law school drop-out. But Alvarez holds a degree of Master in Public Administration from no less than Harvard University. That should settle the question concerning his academic qualifications.

We knew Alvarez during the dark days of martial law. After the 1971 Constitutional Convention, he was one of the only eleven delegates who refused to sign the Marcos Constitution despite all pressures from the dictator. As a consequence, his brother was murdered and he had to escape to the United States, where he headed one of the most active groups against the Marcos regime. After EDSA I, he was elected senator and he anchored the controversial Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.

Among those who have raised objections to the Commission on Appointment’s approval of Alvarez’ designation was Enrique Zobel. Writing in Smart File, Rafael Baskiñas said: "For almost 30 years, the government has been trying to recover 2,000 hectares of land and waters in Calatagan, Batangas from the Zobel family. Since 1965, the highest court in the land has ruled with finality that these contested areas are part of public domain." Why has the government not implemented the Supreme Court’s decision?

All we ask in both instances – the confirmation or rejection of Heherson Alvarez’s designation as head of the DENR and the Zobel case – is that both be settled according to law.