CA to tackle appointments of 7 envoys, 85 senior military officers

The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) will deliberate on the nominations and promotions of seven ambassadors and 85 senior military officers on Wednesday, May 31.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, CA assistant minority leader, named the seven envoys awaiting confirmation as follows:

• Henry Bensurto Jr., as Ambassador to Turkey, with concurrent jurisdiction over Georgia and Azerbaijan;
• Paul Raymund Cortes, as Ambassador to Portugal, with concurrent jurisdiction over Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Angola;
• Raul Hernandez, as Ambassador to Oman;
• Josel Ignacio, as Ambassador to India, with concurrent jurisdiction over Nepal;
• Maria Angela Ponce, as Ambassador to Malaysia;
• Carlos Sorreta, as Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; and
• Renato Pedro Villa, as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, with concurrent jurisdiction over Yemen.

The diplomats will be screened by the CA’s committee on foreign affairs chaired by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Meanwhile, Pimentel said 85 senior military officers led by Philippine Army Major Generals Ferdinand Barandon and Fernando Reyeg are also awaiting confirmation of their ad interim appointments.

They will be vetted by the CA’s committee on national defense chaired by Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo.

Pimentel said the CA chaired by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has scheduled a caucus and a plenary session on Wednesday, in anticipation of actionable recommendations from the Estrada and Romualdo panels.