CA panel OKs Esperon promotion to 3-star general - Malaya 09.27.2006

BY DENNIS GADIL

THE committee on national defense of the Commission on Appointments (CA) yesterday gave the go-ahead for the plenary approval of the promotion of AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to lieutenant general.

Esperon was promoted to three-star rank in August last year when he was named Army chief. The CA had not acted on this promotion when Esperon was named AFP chief last July. The post of Armed Forces chief is a four-star position.

The CA committee voted 9-2 on a motion to defer Esperon’s confirmation hearing for next week, with Senators Sergio Osmeña and Alfredo Lim voting for deferment.

The panel also voted 9-1-1 on the motion to endorse for plenary approval Esperon’s promotion. Osmeña cast the lone "no" vote while Lim abstained.

The CA recommended the confirmation of the promotion of 65 other military officers to various ranks.

If confirmed, Esperon would undergo another CA hearing for his four-star promotion.

Opposition senators could still block Esperon’s confirmation in the CA plenary today by invoking Section 20 of the CA rules. Section 20 automatically defers confirmation hearings of a government appointee when invoked.

Under the CA rules, Section 20 may be used once, and never on the last plenary session of the bicameral body before Congress adjourns its session.

Congress adjourns on Oct. 14.

Osmeña, who attended in the committee hearing on behalf of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, said he might invoke Section 20, if Estrada failed to show up today.

Estrada has registered strong opposition to the confirmation of Esperon, one of four generals implicated in the alleged rigging of the May 2004 elections to ensure the victory of President Arroyo.

"The one who requested a hearing on General Esperon is Senator Estrada but unfortunately his son took ill with dengue fever last night and he had to rush his son to the hospital. So he asked me to intercede on his behalf and ask for a deferment next week," Osmeña said.

"So I guess we’ll have to face it in the caucus and plenary tomorrow (Wednesday)," he added.

Osmeña said it is up to Estrada to invoke Sec. 20.

Asked what he would do if Estrada fails to make it to the CA plenary today, Osmeña said: "If he asks me to (invoke Section 20), I will have to."

Senate opposition members initially blocked Esperon’s confirmation on the ground that his name was mentioned in the "Hello Garci" wiretapped recordings on the alleged 2004 electoral fraud.

Esperon, after the hearing, said he never talked with controversial former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, alleged mastermind of the cheating. He said he does not personally know Garcillano.

He also said he had nothing to do with the relief of Marine Brig. Gen. (ret.) Francisco Gudani from Lanao supposedly as part of the plot of cheat in the 2004 polls.

Gudani, who retired in October last year, was invited to the CA hearing yesterday but failed to show up. Osmeña asked the CA panel to subpoena Gudani anew for its next hearing. Gudani’s name was also mentioned in the "Hello Garci" recordings. He was relieved in September last year after testifying before the Senate on massive cheating in some Mindanao provinces.