CA sets hearings for DOT, DOE chiefs

MANILA, Philippines - The powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) has set for next week the hearings for the appointments of Cabinet secretaries Jose Rene Almendras and Alberto Lim, three weeks before Congress goes into Yuletide break.

CA Secretary Arturo Tiu said Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, chairman of the CA committee on energy, has set the hearing for the ad interim appointment of Almendras as energy secretary on Dec. 1.

Notices were sent to vice-chairman Rep. Rex Gatchalian, 15 regular members and seven ex-officio members, to prepare for the hearing at 9 a.m. at the Senate.

Gatchalian, chairman of the CA committee on tourism and economic development, will also convene the hearing on the credentials of Tourism Secretary Lim on Dec. 8, 10 a.m.

Majority leader Sen. Vicente Sotto III did not discount the possibility that Lim will be questioned over the controversial “Pilipinas kay Ganda” slogan.

However, Sotto believes that Lim does not need to resign from his post following the controversy, and after the resignation of Undersecretary Vicente Romano II, the official behind the much-criticized slogan.

“I have heard his explanation and I am inclined to believe it,” he said. “I guess the budget of the DOT will be scrutinized extensively today because of that. The projects of the past administration will also be looked into, whether they spent the budget properly or not.”

Sen. Francis Escudero had also expressed intention to press Lim over the details of the DOT’s budget and how much the agency spent for the campaign, not during the CA, but during the plenary debates on the budget.

Meanwhile, the confirmation of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr. will have to be tackled by the CA.

Senate finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon revealed that Coloma took over the position of press secretary, therefore he is considered as a line department secretary, which necessitates confirmation by the CA. 

“The two others are not line departments. They are given the rank of secretaries except that they have no line departments but are heading offices,” Drilon said, referring to Ricky Carandang and Edwin Lacierda.

“For that, Ging Deles is not also a department secretary. She is carrying a secretary rank but she is not a head of a department. That’s the rule,” Drilon added. As of press time, the Palace has not submitted to the CA the appointment papers of Coloma.

Meantime, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. brushed aside text messages circulating that he would be replaced. He acknowledged, however, that he and his fellow Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the President.

Ochoa also said that retired president and chief executive officer of insurance firm Philamlife Jose Cuisia was being considered by President Aquino as Philippine ambassador to the United States. – Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica