DFA statement:
On Tiglao:The DFA confirms the non-extension of the tour of duty of Ambassador Tiglao in Greece. He has been notified of it.
On Benedicto:President Aquino signed the nomination of Francisco Benedicto as Philippine ambassador to Beijing. The nomination paper will be submitted to the Commission on Appointment, and he will come home for the confirmation hearing once Congress resumes session.
Update: Yesterday afternoon (Oct. 14) Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo called up Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello and told him that Tiglao will not be retained as ambassador to Greece. Akbayan members in Greece are among those protesting the Romulo’s tolerance of Tiglao in Athens despite lack of legal authority.
While President Aquino expressed concerned over decision of the Supreme Court favoring the midnight appointments of Gloria Arroyo, his secretary of foreign affairs is condoning, even supporting, the illegal stay of Arroyo’s appointees in their foreign posts.
The other day, members of the Filipino community in Greece staged a rally in front of the Philippine Embassy in Athens protesting the continued stay of former ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao in his post.
Francisco Benedicto, also refuses to return to Manila holding on to the appointment signed by Arroyo as basis for his continued stay in Beijing.
It’s a mess out there at the DFA and the foreign secretary either encourages it as in the case of Tiglao or clueless as in the case of Benedicto.
It must be recalled that there was a controversy over the extension of the stay in their posts of 21 political ambassadors appointed by Arroyo after June 30, 2010. Since all political appointees are co-terminus with the appointing power, it goes without saying that when Arroyo’s term ended noon of June 30, 2010, they no longer had any legal authority as of 12:01 of June 30, 2010.
