INQUIRER Global Nation

MANILA, Philippines?Foreign service officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs are again opposing the political appointments of Representative Antonio V. Cuenco as Philippine ambassador to Italy and Ambassador Francisco L. Benedicto as Philippine ambassador to China.

In a letter circulating in the department for signatures, the Union of Foreign Service Officers (Unifors) is asking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, through DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo, to withdraw the appointments of Cuenco and Benedicto as they would only get to serve less than six months.

?Such a duration in our view does not justify the additional expense for their deployment or transfer,? the union said.

Unifors also said Cuenco and Benedicto are over-aged as per Section 23 of the Foreign Service Act.

?We share anew our considered view that the appointment of a person beyond the age of 65 violates both the clear letter and spirit? of the provision, the union said.

Cuenco is 73 while Benedicto is 70.

The union instead asked that career officers be appointed to the posts.

?If it is truly the desire of the President to replace the ambassadors at this time, we remain hopeful that the President would prioritize the appointment of career officials in the interest of maintaining the professionalization of the foreign service and ensuring continuity of service,? the union said.

Unifors also noted that in its October 1 letter, the President had given the union ?a welcome response of no longer issuing the questioned appointment.?

In response to this opposition, the DFA reiterated that the President ?has the constitutional authority to appoint ambassadors, career and non-career alike.?

?It is essential that the country is represented in foreign capitals by qualified officials who have the President?s trust and confidence,? the DFA said in a statement.

The DFA said that the lawful ratio between career and non-career ambassadors of 50 percent plus one is more than upheld in the Arroyo administration.

?This administration has appointed more career heads of posts, i.e., ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary and consuls general (72.83 percent) than during the Estrada and Ramos administrations (70 percent and 67 percent, respectively),? the DFA statement said.

At the same time, the department said non-career ambassadors ?complement the career corps and have historically enriched the Philippine foreign service with their deep experiences and wide backgrounds notably in business, journalism, military, labor and legislature. They have helped advance the country?s strategic national interests in the international community.?

Cuenco, it said, has served as Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the last four years. Under this capacity, he has exercised oversight over the DFA and been one of the key actors in the formulation of Philippine foreign policy.

Benedicto, on the other hand, was appointed by four successive Presidents to different foreign capitals: by President Corazon Aquino as Ambassador to Singapore; by President Fidel Ramos to Seoul and thereafter to Brasilia; by President Joseph Estrada to Ottawa; and by President Arroyo to New Delhi, and now proposed to Beijing. ?He has proven himself truly outstanding in each of his previous diplomatic assignments,? the DFA said.