The Commission on Appointments (CA) is set to conduct separate confirmation hearings on Tuesday, Sept. 10, for a new member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) and three ambassadors.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the CA’s Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Jinggoy Estrada will evaluate the nominations of Daniel Espiritu as ambassador to Ireland, Mardomel Celo Melicor as ambassador to Qatar; and Mary Anne Padua as ambassador to Timor-Liste.
“Besides the three ambassadors, we also have 25 newly promoted career diplomats at the Department of Foreign Affairs lined up for their confirmation hearings,” Pimentel said in a statement.
Pimentel said the CA’s Committee on Justice chaired by SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta will also go over the appointment of lawyer Jose Mejia as JBC member representing the private sector.
The seven-member JBC screens and recommends appointees to the judiciary.
The President appoints members of the Supreme Court and the judges of lower courts from a list of at least three nominees prepared by the JBC for every vacancy.
The JBC is composed of the Supreme Court Chief Justice as ex-officio chairperson, with the Secretary of Justice and a member of Congress as ex-officio members, plus four regular members appointed by the President consisting of an Integrated Bar of the Philippines representative, a law professor, a retired Supreme Court member, and a private sector representative.
The Constitution empowers the 25-member CA to scrutinize the competence, fitness and integrity of key presidential appointees and to approve or reject them.
