CA set to vote on Ubial, Cimatu appointments

With just two weeks left before Congress adjourns for a one-month break, the Commission on Appointments (CA) vowed to act on the two remaining Cabinet members of President Duterte who have not been confirmed.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said a decision was made yesterday during an executive session of the members of the CA that on Oct. 4 or 11, the body will vote on the appointments of Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

“There will be no bypass. We will vote on whether (to confirm or reject) on Oct. 4 or 11,” Drilon said.

Cimatu faced the CA committee on environment and natural resources for the second time yesterday where he was subjected to questioning by many of its members.

During the hearing yesterday, Sens. Loren Legarda and Juan Miguel Zubiri both pushed for a vote on Cimatu’s appointment but the other members of the CA aired their desire to have one more hearing to ask more questions.

The committee’s chairman, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, said members of the committee informed him of their desire to further question Cimatu in another hearing next week so he decided to defer action on his appointment yesterday.

Pacquiao said he feels there would be no strong opposition to the confirmation of Cimatu, a former military general and concurrent special envoy for overseas Filipino worker refugees of President Duterte.

He said he would support the confirmation of Cimatu, who he said was very capable and hardworking.

Unlike Cimatu, who was bypassed by the CA once, Ubial was bypassed twice.

Under the CA rules, a vote to confirm or reject a nominee would have to be done once the official has been bypassed three times.