Marcos nominates new envoys to Commission on Appointments
In a press statement, Pimentel said the President had issued the nominations last June 2, and ''all were formally received by the Commission on the same day.''
Pimentel said the nominees are as follows:
Evangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq - Philippine Permanent Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia;
Bernadette Therese Fernandez - Ambassador to South Korea;
Maria Teresa Almojuela - Ambassador to Germany;
Alan Deniega - Ambassador to Poland, with concurrent jurisdiction over Lithuania and Ukraine;
Gines Jaime Ricardo Gallaga - Ambassador to Bahrain;
Marlowe Miranda - Ambassador to Lebanon; and
Arvin De Leon - Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Caribbean nations of Cuba and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Central American countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama
Pimentel pointed out that unlike ad interim appointments – which take effect immediately pending CA confirmation – nominees cannot assume their posts until they have secured the Commission's consent.
The lawmaker added that both the assignment of ambassadors and the promotion in rank of senior foreign service officers require CA approval.
The 1987 Constitution states that the 25-member CA is mandated to assess the competence, integrity, and fitness of key presidential appointees, with the authority to either confirm or reject them.
"Confirmation hearings serve as an important safeguard, ensuring proper oversight of the President's power to appoint officials to critical diplomatic posts," Pimentel said.
The CA is composed of 12 members each from the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Senate President serving as its ex-officio presiding officer. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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