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CA panel defers recommendation of DOH chief's confirmation


The Commission on Appointments health committee on Wednesday deferred its recommendation of Health Secretary Enrique Ona's confirmation after Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago threatened to block his nomination. During Wednesday's Commission on Appointments hearing, Santiago threatened to invoke chapter IV, section 20 of the CA rules if the CA health committee decides to recommend Ona for confirmation during their plenary session later in the day. Section 20 of the CA rules states that any member of the commission may move for the suspension of any nomination or appointment favorably recommended by a standing committee. Santiago explained that she was impressed by Ona's qualifications but she said she was "bothered" by his position on the health department's policy on kidney transplants. "I am appealing that we should postpone or adjourn... recess the hearing and continue until we have reached an acceptable compromise with the principles of the nominee," she said during the hearing. Under the current policy of the DOH, in compliance with the administrative orders of former Health secretaries Drs. Francisco Duque and Esperanza Cabral, patients are not allowed to receive kidney donation from another person unless they are relatives, close acquaintances, or the donor is dead. Ona, who is one of the country’s pioneering kidney transplant surgeons, had said that he was considering a review of the policy. Ona was also director of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) from 1998 to 2010. Santiago, however, said that allowing kidney transplants between unrelated and living patients will allow for the exploitation of the poor who sell their organs. "Papayagan ba natin? Hindi ba katungkulan natin bilang mga representatives of the people na ibawal ang mga masasama para sa mga tao maski gusto pa nila? (Will we allow this? Isn't it our duty as representatives of the people to prevent them from doing something harmful to them even if they are willing?)," she said. Before the 2008 ban, there had been a 10-percent limit on foreigners receiving Filipino kidneys. But many in the medical community, including Ona, admitted that the limit was grossly violated, putting local patients at a disadvantageous position as more foreign patients can well afford kidney transplants. According to the NKTI, around 570 local patients are waiting for kidneys to be made available for their transplants. About 32 of these patients, however, had died waiting for the needed organs. Ona, however, clarified that the ban is still being implemented and that there are no plans to revise or replace the AO issued by his predecessors. "The AO stays... it is still being implemented. That's why we'll probably have to explain it further to the kind senator," he said in an interview with reporters after the hearing. He likewise assured Santiago that they neither support nor allow the commercialization of human organs. "Very reasonable naman ang concern niya (Her concerns are very reasonable)... it's probably a matter of explaining to her," he said. Ona said he plans to meet with Santiago at the soonest possible time before the CA conducts another hearing on his confirmation next week. Meanwhile, Santiago also threatened to invoke section 20 of the CA rules in blocking the confirmation of Education Sec. Armin Luistro because of "conflicting interests, gross ignorance of the law, and political deafness." She also threatened to "massacre" more "lightweight" Cabinet members when they face the CA. Later on, however, Santiago withdrew her objection of Luistro's nomination and said that she will heed the advice of the Dalai Lama to "observe compassion" in deciding whether to invoke her "one-person veto" during the confirmation proceedings of certain Cabinet members. The CA had 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. Also in the day, the CA approved the confirmation of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa after a panel recommended his confirmation. 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 House of representatives as its members. Based on the Constitution, the commission’s duty 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/KBK, GMANews.TV

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