4 PH envoys get CA panel’s nod

Ambassador Phillip Lhuillier. FILE PHOTO/MICHELLE REMO

Four of five Philippine envoys scheduled for nominations this Wednesday have been recommended for confirmation by a panel of the Commission on Appointments (CA).

The CA’s committee on foreign affairs recommended the nominations of the following officers in the Department of Foreign Affairs:

1. Alan Timbayan as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the State of Qatar

2. Philippe Jones Lhuillier as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain with concurrent jurisdiction over the Principality of Andorra

3. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland with concurrent jurisdiction over Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Guernsey, and Bailiwick of Jersey; and

4. Charles Cabayan Jose as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Malaysia

The panel will then transmit its recommendation to the CA plenary for either concurrence or rejection.

Unlike the four envoys, however, the panel decided to defer the nomination of James Lao as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Brunei Darussalam after he failed to answer the queries of its members.

During his confirmation hearing, 74-year-old Lao, admitted that he has a hearing problem .

“With all due respect, at the age of 74 medyo mahirap na ang hearing ko po (I have hearing problems)…With due respect po pwede pong (can you make it) a little louder so I can hear well,” he said.

Manila Representative Sandy Ocampo then asked the nominee if he was still fit for the post given his condition.

“Considering the physical fitness of the nominee, do you think you are fit to hold that position and do you wear a hearing aid because you’d be entertaining our constituents, our Filipinos there so if in case there will be problems , do you think you can handle that position?” Ocampo asked.

“Because you know being a leader, those are very important traits, not just the qualification perhaps but the fitness is also very important,” she said.

But Lao said there were just “little defects” in his ears but he could still hear clearly. IDL