Vetting of Marcos appointees to start Aug. 9

The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) will start confirmation hearings next week on 38 officials recently appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to various key positions, CA Assistant Minority Leader and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said on Thursday.

“The CA’s committee on foreign affairs chaired by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will kick off the confirmation hearings on Wednesday, August 9, and immediately thereafter, we will have a plenary session,” Pimentel said.

The Estrada panel will screen the nominations of Philippe Lhuillier and Mersole Mellejor as Philippine ambassadors to Spain and Nigeria, respectively, along with the appointment of Raquel Solano as Chief of Mission Class II at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Pimentel, meanwhile, said the President has nominated DFA Assistant Secretary Charlie Manangan as Philippine ambassador to Iraq.

Manangan was nominated on July 25, and his papers were received by the CA on July 31, according to Pimentel.

Pimentel said the CA also received on July 31 the promotion papers of General Romeo Brawner Jr., the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Marine Brigadier General Simplitius Adecer.

“In all, we have 38 presidential appointees lined up for confirmation hearings,” Pimentel said.

The Constitution empowers the 25-member CA to scrutinize the competence, fitness and integrity of key presidential appointees, and to approve or disapprove them.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, and Judicial and Bar Council member Erlinda Uy are among the appointees awaiting confirmation hearings.

The rest of those awaiting confirmation hearings are senior military officers.