Rigoberto Tiglao, head of the Presidential Management Staff and one of Gloria Arroyo’s trusted advisers, will be appointed ambassador to Greece.
Tiglao’s nomination was supposed to have been signed yesterday, a highly reliable source said. It will be submitted for confirmation to the Commission on Appointments, which is expected to be convened when Congress resumes session on Nov. 7.
The Department of Foreign Affairs next week will ask Greece for its agreement to the nomination of Tiglao, who will replace Lourdes Morales, who will be sent to Cambodia.
Tiglao’s foreign assignment has surprised even some members of Arroyo’s inner circle and has led to speculations on why he has opted to be away at a time when Arroyo’s hold on the presidency is precarious.
The political opposition is stepping up efforts for the ouster of Arroyo, who has been accused of cheating in the 2004 elections. The court martial of Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani and Lt. Col. Alexander Balutan for testifying before the Senate on the use of military personnel to cheat in favor of Arroyo in the 2004 elections has sharpened the restiveness among young military officers who refuse to be used to protect a discredited president.
One source said Tiglao is “running away.” Another source said the ambassadorial post is Arroyo’s reward for Tiglao who had been loyal to her throughout the crisis. In the aftermath of the Hyatt 10’s resignation, Tiglao, together with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Environment Secretary Mike Defensor, took the offensive against their former colleagues, accusing them of betrayal of trust.