Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
August 20, 2002
DENR SEC. HEHERSON ALVAREZ FINALLY GET THE NOD OF POWERFUL CA
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources chief Heherson
Alvarez finally passed the Commission on Appointment yesterday
after being bypassed for several times by the powerful body.
Effort to further delay the confirmation of Secretary Alvarez has
been effectively blocked after 20 members of the Commission on
Appointments sought plenary approval of his ad interim
appointment during the resumption of session today.
In an unprecedented move, the CA committee on environment and
natural resources chaired by Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr. adopted
the petition signed by 20 CA members endorsing the nomination of
Alvarez for confirmation.
Alvarez, first appointed as DENR chief on May 25, 2001, thanked
President Arroyo for her "vote of confidence" by
reappointing him after being bypassed by the CA seven times.
"I thank the President for her vote of confidence," he
said.
In one-page petition, the CA members argued that Alvarez has
effectively satisfied the requirement of the 25-man powerful
commission and submitted himself to scrutiny before the committee
hearings where all the 20 oppositors against the nominee had been
given due course.
"Nine hearings have already been conducted by the committee
on environment and has spent more than 20 hours deliberating on
the fitness and qualification of the nominee and have given due
course to all the 20 oppositors who have filed their sworn
opposition to the nomination of Secretary Alvarez," said the
three-page petition.
Alvarez in almost three hours of being grilled has to answer the
charges filed against him, the latest of which is the accusation
of PICOP Resources Inc., that he allegedly asked for substantial
amount in exchange of its timber license agreement (TLA) to
intergrated forest management (AFMA).
Alvarez, however denied the allegations of Picop President
Teodoro Bernardino and some Picop officials together with Surigao
del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay.
At least 22 individuals and groups have filed opposition against
Alvarez's confirmation since last year.
CA Majority Leader Gerardo Espina maintained that the vote of 20
CA committee members would obviate the raising of Section 20
today, most probably by CA Vice Chairman Vicente A. Sandoval, to
temporarily block Alvarez' confirmation.
When Section 20 is invoked, it automatically blocks the CA from
taking action on the confirmation of the nominee on that day.
Cebu Rep. Raul del Mar said Section 20 could be raised today, but
this should be resolved by the CA members during the plenary
session.
The approval of the petition, invoking Section 16 of the Rules of
the Commission, effectively stop the committee deliberation, and
instead asked the 25-man bicameral body chaired by Senate
President Franklin Drilon to vote on whether to accept or reject
his ad interim appointment as the Secretary of Environment.
Section 16 of the CA rules provides that "the commission, on
petition of at least 13 members may directly consider a
nomination or appointment and, therefore, vote on it."
Before the Magsaysay panel adopted the petition, it allowed PICOP
Resources, Inc. president Teodoro Bernardino to voice out his
objection against Alvarez. Bernardino accused the Cabinet
secretary of graft and corruption in connection with the
Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA).
Bernardino's objection, however, did not stop the committee to
adopt the petition to submit Alvarez' nomination to a vote in
today's session.
"The petition of the 20 CA members endorsing the plenary
approval of the nominee is hereby approved," declared
Magsaysay, eliciting cheers and applause among the supporters of
Alvarez.
Earlier, the name of former Foreign Affairs Sec. and Vice
President Teofisto Guingona Jr., surfaced as possible replacement
of Alvarez in the DENR post.///camille p. balagtas