Cayetano can be confirmed by acclamation –Lacson

“I hope that we can confirm Sen. Cayetano’s nomination right after he completes the submission of the documentary requirements and the publication rule have been complied with so he can immediately assume office as DFA Secretary,” Lacson said in a statement. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA–Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that newly-appointed Foreign Affairs Secretary, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano can be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) by acclamation.

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte confirmed that he had just signed Cayetano’s appointment paper in a pre-departure press briefing before embarking to Cambodia for the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN.

Cayetano is also Pres. Duterte’s running mate in the May 2016 presidential elections.

Pres. Duterte had repeatedly stated during interviews that he would offer the Foreign Affairs post to Cayetano once the one-year appointment ban lapses.

Lacson, chair of the CA Foreign Affairs Committee, was hopeful that Cayetano can be easily confirmed as he is a seating Senator and member of the CA.

“I hope that we can confirm Sen. Cayetano’s nomination right after he completes the submission of the documentary requirements and the publication rule have been complied with so he can immediately assume office as DFA Secretary,” Lacson said in a statement.

“With the permission of the majority of the members of the CA, we can even suspend the rules and waive all the requirements out of courtesy to a sitting member of the Senate as well as the CA itself and confirm him by acclamation,” he added.

Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is currently in Geneva, Switzerland for the Universal Period Review of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Several senators, meanwhile, welcomed their colleague’s appointment.