CLARK FREEPORT – The majority floor leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA) debunked yesterday allegations that the graft case filed against Justice Sec. Leila de Lima has become an obstacle to her confirmation by the commission.
“As majority leader of the Commission on Appointments, I believe this (graft case) will not be a valid ground to block her confirmation,” said Nueva Ecija 4th district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino told Punto in a text message.
He said he issued this clarification amid spreading talk that De Lima’s appointment has already been derailed by the graft complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against her and two other government officials over the deportation of 14 Taiwanese nationals last February.
In his complaint, lawyer Reynaldo Bagatsing asked the Ombudsman to look into de Lima’s abuse of authority that attended her issuance of an illegal summary deportation order.
Bagatsing also urged the anti-graft office to investigate National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula and former Bureau of Immigration Officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma for the same offense.
Antonino stressed that “we have confirmed many with pending cases.”
“The members of the commission have taken the position that a pending case is just that, pending. We are not a court or prosecutors to determine probable cause,” he said.
Antonino also said that “unless there is a resolution against Sec. de Lima, a pending case will not bar her confirmation.”
In his urgent request for investigation, Bagatsing said De Lima and the others accused participated in the illegal summary deportation of the Taiwanese nationals.
NBI agents arrested the Taiwanese nationals last Dec. 27 for alleged fraudulent activities in the Philippines and were declared undesirable aliens when they failed to present authentic travel documents.
Bagatsing said the Taiwanese were summarily deported as undocumented aliens despite records at the BID showing that they were lawfully admitted to the Philippines because they were previously issued visas by the Manila Economic Cultural Office.
A recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia indicated De Lima has retained the top spot in the approval rating for Cabinet secretaries.
The Pulse Asia survey, held between Feb. 24 and March 6 this year among 1,200 respondents nationwide, showed that De Lima is the most popular Cabinet member with a 61 percent approval rating from the public.
Her rating has increased by one percentage point from 60 percent in October 2010, dislodging Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman from the top spot. Soliman’s approval rating dipped six points to 59 percent.
Last year, Soliman topped Pulse Asia’s survey, while De Lima topped the survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.
“As majority leader of the Commission on Appointments, I believe this (graft case) will not be a valid ground to block her confirmation,” said Nueva Ecija 4th district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino told Punto in a text message.
He said he issued this clarification amid spreading talk that De Lima’s appointment has already been derailed by the graft complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against her and two other government officials over the deportation of 14 Taiwanese nationals last February.
In his complaint, lawyer Reynaldo Bagatsing asked the Ombudsman to look into de Lima’s abuse of authority that attended her issuance of an illegal summary deportation order.
Bagatsing also urged the anti-graft office to investigate National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula and former Bureau of Immigration Officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma for the same offense.
Antonino stressed that “we have confirmed many with pending cases.”
“The members of the commission have taken the position that a pending case is just that, pending. We are not a court or prosecutors to determine probable cause,” he said.
Antonino also said that “unless there is a resolution against Sec. de Lima, a pending case will not bar her confirmation.”
In his urgent request for investigation, Bagatsing said De Lima and the others accused participated in the illegal summary deportation of the Taiwanese nationals.
NBI agents arrested the Taiwanese nationals last Dec. 27 for alleged fraudulent activities in the Philippines and were declared undesirable aliens when they failed to present authentic travel documents.
Bagatsing said the Taiwanese were summarily deported as undocumented aliens despite records at the BID showing that they were lawfully admitted to the Philippines because they were previously issued visas by the Manila Economic Cultural Office.
A recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia indicated De Lima has retained the top spot in the approval rating for Cabinet secretaries.
The Pulse Asia survey, held between Feb. 24 and March 6 this year among 1,200 respondents nationwide, showed that De Lima is the most popular Cabinet member with a 61 percent approval rating from the public.
Her rating has increased by one percentage point from 60 percent in October 2010, dislodging Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman from the top spot. Soliman’s approval rating dipped six points to 59 percent.
Last year, Soliman topped Pulse Asia’s survey, while De Lima topped the survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations.
