Padalhin finally gets CA nod as PH envoy to Syria

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Appointments on Wednesday finally approved the nomination of Nesto Padalhin as ambassador to Syria.

Last week, CA deferred Padalhin’s nomination when it was discovered that his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) was incomplete.

It was revealed that he failed to declare a three-bedroom house in Seattle, Washington in his SALN.

In his testimony during the deliberations last week, Padalhin said that he had unintentionally made the omission since he thought his properties abroad, which have not yet been fully paid, need not be declared in his SALN.

The CA gave him a week to rectify his SALN.

On Wednesday, Padalhin submitted his corrected SALN from 2008 to 2011 and got the nod of the CA.

The CA panel also approved for confirmation Jocelyn Batoon Garcia as Philippine ambassador to Thailand and as representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and Henry Bensurto Jr. as Chief of Mission Class 2.