Brady, 6 others get nod of CA

MANILA, Philippines – Newly appointed Philippine ambassador to China Sonia Brady and six other diplomats have been confirmed by the Commission on Appointment.

It was Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, acting chairman of the Commission’s committee on foreign affairs, who endorsed for plenary approval on Wednesday the appointments of Brady and the following ambassadors:

Olivia V. Palala – ambassador to Jordan and Palestine, as Chief of Mission, Class I;

Benito B. Valeriano -ambassador to India and Nepal, as Chief of Mission, Class I;

Alejandro B. Mosquera -ambassador to Russian, Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine, as Chief of Mission, Class I;

Oscar G. Orcine -ambassador to Libya, Algeria, Chad, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Niger and Tunisia, as Chief of Mission, Class II;

Alex V. Lamadrid – ambassador to Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, as Chief of Mission, Class II;

Patricia Ann V. Paez –  ambassador to Poland, as Chief of Mission, Class II.

No member of the Commission objected to Escudero’s motion.

Meanwhile, the same panel deferred the confirmation of the Philippine ambassador to Syria Nestor Padalhin for his failure to declare a $250,000 property in the United States.

At the start of the hearing of the Commission’s committee on foreign affairs, Nueva Ecija Representative Rodolfo Antonino moved to endorse the confirmation of Padalhin and six other diplomats.

But Antonino later amended his motion to exclude Padalhin after Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero pointed out that the ambassador had an undeclared property in the US.

Escudero said that based on the profile investigation report by the CA, Padalhin has a property in a 3-bedroom residential building in Seattle, Washington, but did not declare it in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Padalhin admitted that he did not declare the property in his SALN because he was still paying its mortgage.

“Your honor, my property in the Philippines, I’m still paying mortgage, is all in my SALN. It’s this mistaken notion that my property abroad and if the title is not fully conveyed does not have to be in the SALN,” he explained.

But Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile argued that a property even if it still being paid in instalments should be declared in the SALN.

“I suggest that you correct your SALN so that you will not be asked question like this one,” Enrile said.

“Yes, your honor, from now on,” Padalhin said.

But Senator Loren Legarda believes that Padalhin’s failure to declare his property in the SALN was done in good faith and therefore, should not be an impediment for his confirmation.

Besides, Legarda said the SALN law allows government officials to correct their SALN.

Senator Panfilo Lacson agreed with Legarda, saying Padalhin’s non-disclosure of his asset should not impede the latter’s confirmation.