MikeLigalig.com

source: PNA
By Jelly Musico

The Commission on Appointments confirmed Wednesday the nomination of Mar Roxas as Interior Secretary and Joseph Abaya as Roxas’ replacement as Transportation chief.

At the plenary, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago lived up to her threat and invoked Section 20 of the CA rules to veto the confirmation of Roxas whom she, nonetheless, described as honest, efficient and competent official.

Santiago said: “I deeply regret also I had to take counter action by announcing that as a member of the CA, I will exercise my power of one person veto over all the Cabinet members that I summoned but who did not appear.

"Unfortunately, first in the list is Sen. Mar Roxas of the DILG.”

Santiago was referring to the failure of Roxas and other Cabinet secretaries (Ramon Paje of environment and Leila de Lima of justice) to attend last Friday’s Senate inquiry into the case of resigned Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III called for five-minute suspension but it took him only less than one minute to convince Santiago to change heart.

”I’d like to appeal to the graciousness of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, may I move or ask that the invocation of Section 20 will be withdrawn?” asked Sotto.

Santiago conceded: “Mr. President, my high intelligence quotient dictates that I should reconsider and therefore withdraw my motion to suspend.”

Santiago then approached Roxas and congratulated the new DILG secretary who replaced Robredo who died in a plane crash off Masbate on Aug 18.

”I would like to thank Sen. Miriam for changing her mind and so it is now the reality because my nomination has been confirmed,” Roxas said after her confirmation.

”Our countrymen can expect that I will continue the kind of leadership that Secretary Robredo has shown that is transparent, honest and organized leadership at DILG,” Roxas added.

At the CA committee level, Sotto as chairman of the interior and local government committee, gave consent to the appointment of Roxas after the panel rejected oppositors from a group of airport employees.

He said the CA is not the proper forum to air their complaint against Roxas.

Buklod ng Kawani ng CID led by Atty. Henry Tubban complained Roxas’s order stopping private airline companies from paying overtime for airport government employees.

During the committee deliberations, Roxas said he explained in his reply to Santiago’s invitation that he cannot still attend any Senate inquiry into the DILG because he was just a nominee of the President.

Roxas explained: “I thought the prudent thing to do was to say I'm not in DILG and I'm unfamiliar with the Puno investigation...My non-appearance was not meant to snub or diminish the importance of the committee hearing.

"I am not yet DILG Secretary, have not assumed duty. I can't speak with authority on these matters.”

Roxas will be holding his third Cabinet portfolio after DOTC and the Dept. of Trade and Industry (2000-2003).

Santiago was the one who seconded the motion of committee on transportation and communication chairman Rep. Antonio Alvarez to confirm the nomination of Abaya.

Abaya, grandson of the country’s first President Emilio Aguinaldo, thanked the CA for his confirmation as DOTC secretary, his first Cabinet portfolio.

The congressman from Cavite vowed to implement all the programs that Roxas designed for the efficient, affordable and reliable transport system in the country.

”I’m lucky I’m the one who replaced Secretary Roxas because he had already put in order the system. What is important is for me to continue implementing these projects,” Abaya said.

Roxas said both he and Abaya will report to President Benigno Aquino III who was expected to officially appoint them and take their oath as new secretaries of DILG and DOTC, respectively.

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