CA tackles Cayetano’s nomination as DFA chief Wednesday

The Commission on Appointments’ (CA) foreign affairs committee is set to tackle the nomination of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Foreign Affairs Secretary on Wednesday (May 16). (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA–The Commission on Appointments’ (CA) foreign affairs committee is set to tackle the nomination of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Foreign Affairs Secretary on Wednesday (May 16).

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the CA foreign affairs committee, made this confirmation Tuesday.

Lacson earlier said that Cayetano can be confirmed by the CA by acclamation since 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 previous interview.

“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.

Sen. Francis Esucero, however, said that there is still a chance that Cayetano could be rejected.

“Sa kasaysayan ng Commission on Appointments, may mga pagkakataon na ginawa yan pero may pagkakataon din na ni-reject nila ang isang dating miyembro particular (In the history of the Commission on Appointments, there are instances that (acclamation) was done but there are also instances that they rejected a former member),” Escudero said in a previous interview.

Escudero said it is still the CA to decide if the process of confirming Cayetano would be speedy or would have to be as lengthy as other nominees.

“So desisyon at pasya ng Commission on Appointments and kung by acclamation o kung papadaanin sila butas ng karayom (It’s still the decision of the CA if they’ll confirm him by acclamation or if they let him pass though the eye of a needle),” he explained.

Meanwhile, Escudero said Cayetano does not need to resign as senator until after the CA confirms his nomination as Foreign Affairs Secretary.