CA panel recommends Purisima confirmation as DOF chief

A Commission on Appointments (CA) panel on Wednesday recommended for confirmation the nomination of Cesar Purisima as Finance secretary. The CA finance committee made the recommendation but not after some CA members questioned Purisima over several fiscal policies of the Aquino administration. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile specifically asked Purisima why he was supposedly in favor of increasing the tax on tobacco, which he said would make life worse for tobacco farmers. "Hindi lang sayo naka-address ang tanong na ito, sa gobyerno na rin (This question is not just addressed to you, but also to the government)," he said. Purisima, however, said they are still studying the proposal. "We do not have a specific postion yet on (increasing tax on) cigarette," he said during the hearing. Senator Joker Arroyo, for his part, asked the Finance chief whether his department would be open to the idea of Congress placing a ceiling on how much money they can borrow. Purisima said the issue was sensitive and that they are also studying the matter. "Our concern is that if we set the a limit, we can cause undue concern in the market that can increase the risk from in their (lender) standpoint when we borrow," he said. The CA had earlier deferred recommending for confirmation the nomination of the DOF chief after Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said Purisima, as chairman of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation, is against the payment of the "proper" real property taxes by the corporation Mirant for the coal-fired thermal power plant it operated in Pagbilao in Quezon province. Aside from Suarez, Danilo Lihaylihay, a private citizen, opposed Purisima's confirmation because the Finance chief supposedly failed to pay him over P42 billion in informant fees. The CA will tackle the panel's recommendation during plenary session later in the day. Other secretaries Among the Cabinet members whose nominations have been confirmed by the CA are: