CA approves apppointment of Mar Roxas as DOTC chief

UPDATED 12:50 p.m. - The Commission on Appointments on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Manuel "Mar" Roxas II as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC). "If Mar Roxas is qualified to run the country, then he is qualified to run the department," said Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez said in a sponsorship speech during Wednesday's CA plenary session. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Francis Pangilinan supported Alvarez's sentiments, saying that Roxas was more than qualified to run the DOTC. In an interview with reporters after the hearing, Roxas thanked the members of the CA for confirming his appointment and saying good things about him. "Nagsisilbing inspirasyon yung mga nasabi sa atin ang ating mga colleague sa CA para magtrabaho ng puspusan, pukpukan dito sa DOTC," he said. "Lahat naman ng kanilang nasabi ay nagiging parang fuel o nagiging tulong sa trabaho natin," he added. Fast deliberation Alvarez is the chairman of the CA transportation and communication committee, which concluded deliberations and decided to recommend the confirmation of Roxas in under 15 minutes earlier in the day. "I want this to be (finished) as quick as possible," Alvarez said during the panel hearing earlier in the day. During the CA panel hearing, Senator Joker Arroyo also manifested how they do not have to conduct a hearing on Roxas' appointment. "We don't have to find out who he is, we all know," he said. Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III likewise said that they do not prove his qualifications because he was already elected into Congress many times. Roxas was a member of the House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000 and of the Senate from 2004 to 2010. He ran as a vice presidential candidate during the 2010 polls but lost to Vice President Jejomar Binay. Roxas was the running mate of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. After Arroyo and Sotto's manifestations, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas immediately moved to recommend Roxas' nomination for confirmation. "He should already be immediately given a nod," he said. Loren Legarda, who also fought against Roxas during the 2010 vice presidential race, seconded the motion. Before the motion was unanimously approved, Senator Panfilo Lacson even interjected a joke question addressed to Roxas. "Totoo po bang nagdadalang-tao si Korina," Lacson asked, referring to the wife of Roxas, Korina Sanchez Roxas, a well-known broadcast journalist and television host. - VVP, GMA News