Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas yesterday managed to seal the approval of the Commission on Appointments (CA) even as Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago made good on her “threat” to leave hanging the body’s concurrence to his nomination to the post.
During the CA’s plenary proceedings, Santiago was “prevailed” upon by Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, chairman of the CA committee on interior and local government, after the latter asked that she reconsider her manifestation invoking the right to single-handedly block Roxas’ confirmation.
Sources, however, said prior to the CA committee and plenary proceedings, Roxas personally went to see Santiago through the assistance of an intermediary and eventually managed to convince her to withdraw her objection, although it was agreed upon to be put on record that the senator will first “manifest” her motion during the bicameral body’s plenary session.
Roxas’ decision to seek an audience with Santiago in her office to personally lobby, supposedly, for the lifting of her opposition to his confirmation, was apparently resorted to after Senate leaders refused to lift a finger to talk their colleague out of her pronounced moves, a retaliatory tactic for the former’s snubbing of her investigation on resigned DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno last Friday.
Santiago, sources added, was not easily swayed as there was initial tension during the confidential “meeting.”
Sources privy to the meeting said Roxas was able to prove to Santiago that he did not intend to snub the hearing as he was the only one who sent her a formal letter explaining why he cannot appear in the proceedings and such supposedly “enlightened” the latter.
During the CA plenary session, Santiago reiterated her explanation that prompted her to resort to her “veto” power, a privilege enjoyed by each of the members of the bilateral body.
Sotto then “appealed” to Santiago to abandon her objection.
“It’s up to the member to make a decision on that part,” said the presiding officer, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Santiago conceded: “Mr. President, my high intelligence quotient dictates that I should reconsider and therefore withdraw my motion to suspend.”
In formally starts discharging of his duties as DILG chief beginning Saturday, immediately after taking his oath before President Aquino, Roxas gave broad hints that he had secured stronghold of the Philippine National Police (PNP), an issue that hounded the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo as the country’s police force was supposedly entrusted by the Chief Executive to Puno, a known close personal friend and shooting buddy of the President.
Puno resigned last week, saying he wanted to give Roxas a free hand to appoint his own staff.
According to Roxas, there is no replacement for Puno yet.
As to whether he will include the issue on jueteng as a “priority” issue to be addressed while at the helm of DILG, Roxas said all the concerns of the department will be given appropriate attention and action, including jueteng.
Meanwhile, also confirmed was another Lineral Party (LP) stalwart and Roxas’ successor in the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya.
Also confirmed at yesterday’s CA plenary session were 106 senior Armed Forces officers, led by three Lieutenant Generals and five Major Generals, including Lt. Gens. Noel Coballes, Gregorio Macapagal and Jorge Segovia; and, Maj. Gens. Alan Luga, Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, Gerardo Layug, Marlou  Salazar and Nestor Anonuevo.
The CA likewise affirmed the promotions of 11 Brigadier Generals, including Salvador  Mison Jr., Ramon Cabal, Remigio Valdez, Rolando Jungco, Arnulfo  Marcos, Felicito Virgilio Trinidad, as well as 86 Colonels in the AFP services.