THE powerful Commission on Appointments on Wednesday again deferred the confirmation of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu following the requests by congressmen for more time to ask the retired general more questions.
The bicameral committee set another confirmation hearing for him on Oct. 4.
The commission deferred Cimatu’s confirmation even as the fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Wednesday opposed his confirmation.
Cimatu’s confirmation hearing was deferred on Sept. 20 after the Commission on Appointments decided to review the issues raised by those opposing his appointment.
Pamalakaya said Cimatu was allowing reclamation activities to continue, hence posing dangers to the marine environment and to the fishermen’s livelihood.
Cimatu, who replaced former secretary Gina Lopez, faced the CA for the first time Wednesday last week, but the voting was also postponed.
His nomination had one lone oppositor in Manuel Galvez who also opposed the nomination of Lopez over air monitoring systems.
Cimatu is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1970 who served as Armed Forces chief from May to September 2002.
Senator Manny Pacquiao, chairman of the CA’s national defense committee, said the commission would act on his nomination before Congress goes on a break on Oct. 11.
“There are still important questions that the members of the Lower House wanted to ask,” Pacquiao said.
“Anyway, the CA is happy for the answer of the secretary today. He was able to answer all the questions thrown at him. “It’s just that some lawmakers were not here.”