The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed the ad interim appointments of five Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) generals and flag officers alongside 85 Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) diplomats during a special session on Wednesday, June 17.
Senate President Win Gatchalian presided over the powerful body’s proceedings as the newly elected CA chairperson, initially formalizing the rosters for both the Senate and House of Representatives contingents.
Gathering a quorum with 22 members present, the commission unanimously voted to waive its standard five-day meeting notice to swiftly clear the backlog of pending confirmations.
During the plenary session, Butuan City Lone District Representative Jose Aquino II, chairperson of the CA Committee on National Defense, pushed for the immediate approval of the military promotions, clarifying that previous delays were entirely out of the officers’ hands.
“These officers have faithfully discharged their duties, rendered distinguished service to the nation and met all the requirements for promotion,” Aquino stressed.
Following the defense approvals, the commission moved to secure the appointments of the 85 DFA officials, a group consisting of ambassadors, chiefs of mission, career ministers, and foreign service officers.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, heading the CA Committee on Foreign Affairs, underscored the urgency of formalizing the diplomats’ positions, highlighting their career-long dedication to promoting Philippine interests globally.
To prevent further operational disruptions, the CA approved a DFA request to excuse 63 of the diplomatic nominees from attending the hearing in person.
The agency noted that the absent officials were actively deployed at overseas posts, on official transit, or executing critical diplomatic duties.
The wave of promotions had previously hit a standstill due to a leadership dispute in the Upper Chamber that temporarily halted regular Senate sessions.
Among the lawmakers present during the confirmations were Senators Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, and Christopher “Bong” Go. Concurrently, Senator Joel Villanueva stepped in as the acting majority floor leader for the session.
Notably, Marcoleta, Marcos, and Go had missed the earlier special Senate session where Gatchalian was officially elected to lead the chamber.