MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) said a diplomat’s religion should not be used as basis for his or her overseas posting as it approved the nomination of seven Philippine ambassadors and the ad interim appointments of nine mid-career level officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
CA member Representatives Luis Raymund Villafuerte and Johnny Pimentel stressed this as a certain Dr. Camad Mangotra and his group opposed the nomination of current envoy to Lebanon Raymund Balatbat as ambassador to Saudi Arabia because he was a “non Muslim.”
The CA approved the nomination of ambassadors Antonio Morales to Australia, with concurrent jurisdiction over Nauru, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu; Domingo Nolasco to Finland; Noel Eugene Servigon to Romania; Nina Cainglet to Bangladesh with concurrent jurisdiction over Sri Lanka and Maldives; Adrian Bernie Candolada to Colombia with concurrent jurisdiction over Ecuador and Venezuela; Giovanni Palec, as non-resident ambassador to North Macedonia, in addition to being ambassador to Greece with concurrent jurisdiction over Cyprus; and and Raymond Balatbat, Saudi Arabia with concurrent jurisdiction over Yemen.
The ad interim appointments of the following DFA officers were also approved: Chief of Mission Enrique Voltaire; career ministers Jabbar Adiong, Jed Martin Llona, Edwin Gil Mendoza, Jeffrey Salik, Zoilo Velasco; and foreign service officers Juan Carlos Borromeo, Dyan Kristine Miranda-Pastrana, and Ella Karina Mitra
“While they are opposing the nominee it is also their prerogative to recommend somebody. However, I would like to remind the oppositors that everybody is free to recommend but the appointing authority rests upon the Department of Foreign Affairs and the President which they submit to the CA,” Villafuerte said.
Villafuerte added, “In answer to their concern there are Muslim ambassadors appointed to the Vatican. So, it is a clear indication that in foreign relations, religion should not be used as a basis and Ambassador Balatbat has already been assigned to Muslim countries like Brunei, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.”
Pimentel said, “I surmise that this group of oppositors would also like to recommend some one of their members. So, it would be very unfair for this committee to even consider the contentions or allegations to the oppositors. Let it be known, I did not even know Ambassador Balatbat.”
“I am just basing my opinion based on the position of the DFA. The DFA, they are the ones who are well versed whether a nominee is qualified or not. I believe that if Ambassador Balatbat is not qualified for the position they would not even consider recommending him. So, therefore we should throw out this opposition,” Pimentel added.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa requested Morales to “find out” why according to the Family Happiness Index, Vanuatu is the “happiest place on earth.” The senator, in Filipino, said, “Please study it so that we, in Davao, will always be happy.”
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