CA panel recommends Ochoa for confirmation

(Updated 11:11 a.m.) The Commission on Appointments (CA) committee on government corporations and other offices on Wednesday recommended for confirmation the nomination of lawyer Paquito Ochoa Jr. as executive secretary. During the CA government corporations and other offices committee hearing, no formal opposition was made against Ochoa's appointment. The hearing lasted for less than 10 minutes. Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez made the immediate motion to recommend Ochoa's nomination for confirmation. The motion was seconded by Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino and Senate Majority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III. Even Senator Joker Arroyo, a known critic of President Benigno Aquino III's Cabinet, expressed support for Ochoa's appointment. "If the President is comfortable with the nominee, if he thinks that he can do well as President with the nominee as executive secretary, I think so be it. I support the nomination of the nominee," he said during the hearing. Ochoa, for his part, thanked Arroyo for understanding the the "nature" of his appointment. "He made it easy for me and I thank everybody of course for supporing the President. It's not me personally but what they did today is significant in the sense that they have supported the action of the President in so far as my appointment is concerned," he told reporters after the hearing. He noted, however, that he does not see his easy sailing through the CA committee was vindication. "I don't feel that way. I think it's no longer relevant," he said. During the hearing, Ochoa also assured the Filipino public that he will work hard as executive secretary. "With the trust and confidence given to me by the President, I can guarrantee and I can assure you that I will do my best and work hard for the betterment of this country," he said. The CA will tackle Ochoa's confirmation later in the day during their plenary session. As of posting time, another CA committee was conducting a hearing on the nomination of Health Sec. Enrique Ona. Confirmed nominations The CA had earlier confirmed the appointments of Trade Sec. Gregory Domingo, Energy Sec. Jose Rene Almendras, Education Sec. Armin Luistro, Tourism Sec. Alberto Lim, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, and Public Works Sec. Rogelio Singson. On the other hand, the confirmation of Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin was deferred because of some pending questions by Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. The CA is composed of the Senate president as its head and 12 senators and 12 congressmen as its members. The commission’s duty as mandated by the Constitution is to confirm all appointments made by the President of the Philippines, except those of the Ombudsman and Supreme Court Justices. The CA discusses and deliberates on nominations at the standing committee level and at the plenary session. Nominations or appointments may end up being confirmed, rejected or bypassed. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV