PANFILO M. LACSON

Mr.  Garcia  holds  commendable  credentials  in  the  Philippine  Foreign Service,  having   served   in   various   key   posttions   in   the   DFA   such   as Undersecretary   for   Policy   from   2013   to   2016. Immediately   prior   to   his nomination, he was appointed as the Philippine representative to the Court of St. James in England. In 2010, he had also served the ambassadorial post to which he is presently nominated.

It  is in  this   regard   that   this   Representation  recommends  that   the Commission  give  its  consent  to  Mr.  Evan  Pumaren  Garcia  as  Permanent Representative  of  the  Republic  of  the  Philippines  to  the  United  Nations  in Geneva, Switzerland.

I so move, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I have known the next nominee way back in 2006, when he was  still posted  as the  Philippine Ambassador to  New Zealand.   We have remained as good friends from then on.  Despite being offered other  posts, he still chose to stay in Papua, New Guinea, and for good reason.

Mr. Tejano's ambassadorial role in the Independent State of Papua, New Guinea, has  spanned two nonconsecutive  terms:   in 1998, which was  also his first foreign posting, and in 2011, when he was reappointed.  His Foreign Service has won him laurels, among them a Gold Medal, which was conferred upon him for the successful repatriation  under  his lead of numerous OFWs from  the war­ torn Solomon  Islands in year  2000.  Needless to say, his exemplary leadership and mediation  skills were  contributory to his  meaningful diplomatic functions in Papua, New  Guinea, which I am sure he will also put  into good  use when he returns to the same post.

Thus, it is my honor and privilege to move that the Commission give its consent  to  the  nomination  of  Mr. Bienvenido  V. Tejano, as  the  Ambassador Extraordinary  and  Plenipotentiary  to  the Independent  State  of  Papua,  New Guinea, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.

I so move, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, this representation as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,  presided over  two public  hearings on  February  22 and  March  8,  2017  to  deliberate  on  the  ad  interim  appointment  of Department   of   Foreign   Affairs   Secretary-designate   Perfecto   Rivas Yasay,  Jr. which was  submitted  to  the  Committee's  jurisdiction for  its consideration.

In the short course of time since the appointment of Secretary Yasay, various compelling issues have been leveled at him in magnified proportions - all considerably relevant and pertinent to the deliberation of his fitness and qualification as the Foreign Affairs Secretary.

The following are matters at hand: (1)  whether  or not  his  U.S. citizenship, granted in November 1986, was revoked through the Affidavit he executed in 1993 where he elaborated circumstances that made him "ineligible" for, and "disqualified" from having U.S. citizenship; (2) whether or not he has duly exercised his right of renunciation, and thereafter, formally reacquired his Filipino citizenship; (3) whether or not he was  issued  Filipino and U.S. Passports  at  the  same time; and, (4) whether  or not he has used his American passport from  2007 to 2009, supposedly during the time when he was no longer a U.S. citizen.

While   this   representation   subscribes   to   the   view   that   the Commission's public hearing is not the ultimate forum to determine Atty. Yasay's  nationality  and/or  citizenship, it  cannot  be  denied  that  the Commission  on  Appointments is  also a proper  forum to  determine  his qualifications  and  fitness  as  Secretary  of  the  Department  of  Foreign Affairs.

Let this  be  a reminder to  everyone  present  in this  hall, that  by definition, an oath is a solemn declaration, accompanied by a swearing to God or a revered person or thing, that one's statement is true or that one will be bound to a promise.   The person making the oath implicitly invites punishment if  the  statement  is untrue or the  promise  is broken. The legal effect of an oath is to subject the person to penalties for perjury if the testimony is false.

At the outset, it bears stressing that the foremost requirement to quality for an appointive osition as part of the Executive  Department  is the  possession  of  Philippine  citizenship.   As  stated  in  Section  45  of Executive   Order   No.   292,   as   amended,   otherwise   known   as   the Administrative  Code  of   1987,  to  be  appointed  as  a  member  of  the President's official family, "Secretaries shall be citizens of the Philippines and not less than twenty five years of age."

Although the  Constitution has vested the  President the  power to appoint members of the  Executive  Department, as a form  of check and balance,  it  has  also  granted  the  Commission  on  Appointments  the authority to approve or reject any appointee of the President belonging to the  first  level  of  appointment,  founded on  the  qualification,  fitness  and character of the appointee.

Thus. in the exercise of the said right, the Commission has gone over the qualification and issues besetting the appointee.  After a careful deliberation of the foregoing circumstances and upon a unanimous vote of   15  of  its  Members  present  in  a  Caucus  held  this   morning, this representation, as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, hereby moves  to  reject  the  ad  interim  appointment  of  Atty.  Perfecto  Rivas Yasay, Jr.,as Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

I so move, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, distinguished colleagues, the Committee on Foreign Affairs presided by this representation conducted a public hearing this morning to hear and deliberate on the nomination of Mr. Jose Manuel Del Gallego Romualdez, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of Jamaica, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Saint Lucia.

Our nominee goes by the byname "Babe" and is widely known to belong to notable political families - the Lopezes and Romualdezes of Leyte.  It may not be known to many that I shared fond memories with his elder brother, the late Alberto "Quasi" Romualdez, who served as the Secretary of Health from 1998 to 2001, not only as my contemporary in public service but also a very dear friend.

Aside from his affluent background, our nominee started his career as a newscaster in 1970 for RPN, Channel.  He has made himself a mainstream news personality before rising from the ranks and holding key positions in the news outfit.  His career has since been a roaring success.  Mr. Romualdez or Ambassador Romualdez now serves as the President and CEO of Stargate Media Corporation an affiliate of the Philippine Star and publishing company of PEOPLE Asia Magazine.  To say the least, his editorial columns, the bi-weekly Spy Bits, Sundays' Babe's Eye View and This Week, hit a wide following of readers.

Babe fancies the crowd with his candid and affable self.  His refined demeanor makes for a good company to Manila's elite and foreign dignitaries.  In fact, he has maintained his important role in the success of several official foreign trips and visits either as coordinator or member of the official delegation of several Presidents, government officials and dignitaries of our country.  He started this role as early as 1989, when he served as the media coordinator during the official visit of then Vice President Salvador Laurel in Washington DC, New York.  His most recent participation in such official visit was during President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to Japan on October 2016.

Mr. Chairman, it is not the first time that our nominee has been offered the post, in fact, he declined his appointment at first because of an emergency operation to address his eye ailment.  Luckily for all of us, he has recovered fully to take on the job.

You and I would agree that his sartorial elegance and refined public relations make for an effective bilateral relations with the United States.  This serves the country in good stead as observed during the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.  His close ties with the United States Embassy expedited the response of USS George Washington, which made possible rescue missions and emergency airlifts to Leyte.

Our nominee's policy of mutually beneficial cooperation, anchored on mutual respect and equality as sovereign nations, are crucial to maintaining the long standing relations between the Philippines and the United States.  With no less than the current US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim welcoming his appointment with warm congratulations, we guarantee strong diplomatic engagement with the United States.

Therefore, as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, it is this humble representation's distinct privilege and honor to move that the Commission give its consent to the nomination of Mr. Jose Manuel del Gallego Romualdez, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of Jamaica, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Saint Lucia, with the salary and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I.

I so move, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, it is also my honor and privilege to second the motion that the Commission give its consent to the nomination of Lt. Col. Roy M. Loyola, to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army (Reserve).

They say, “It takes a long time to grow an old friend.”  I dare say that our nominee, Cong.  Roy M. Loyola,  is one of mine.  I have known him from a long way back, perhaps too long, that I have already heard of all his oft repeated jokes and banters.

Between you and me, Mr. Chairman, Congressman Roy has two ways to win the hearts of his friends, relatives and constituents.  I am tempted to go further and say, “ladies”, yes, our nominee is the most amazing lady killer I’ve seen in my whole life, either through his good sense of humor or his mouth-watering “binalot” or “rice and adobo” wrapped in banana leaves.

Everyone knows that Congressman Loyola is a good dose of comic relief.  And it is a fact that good humor befits the intelligent and perceptive people such as our nominee.

A lawyer by profession and a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, he has already modestly achieved his calling as a public servant.

He is a fellow Caviteño who has served as the Municipal Mayor of Carmona, Cavite for more than a decade, starting with his three consecutive terms from 1995 until 2004 and another term from 2007 to 2010.  He was later elected as the first Representative of the newly created 5th District of Cavite in 2010.

Under his leadership, Carmona’s economy has grown from a quaint agricultural town to a highly commercialized and industrialized town.  From what we know, as one of the smallest towns in the province of Cavite, Carmona is now a first class municipality, a high revenue earner and a major contributor in the economic activity of Cavite.

His exemplary performance as Local Chief Executive earned him the following:  “Presidential Dangal ng Bayan Award” in 1999; “Presidential Lingkod Bayad Award” in 2009 both conferred by the Civil Service Commission; “Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence” in 2003; “General Emilio Aguinaldo Outstanding Achievement Award” for Industrial Development in 2006; and the “Apolinario Mabini Award“ in 2008, among others.

Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is to this end that I second the motion that this Body give its consent to the appointment of Lt. Col. Roy M. Loyola to the rank of Colonel of the Philippine Army (Reserve).

I so move, Mr. Chairman.