Romulo bows out as foreign secretary, eyed as COA chief

PASAY CITY — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alberto F. Romulo on Wednesday bade goodbye to the post he held for almost seven years, informally turning over the helm to former ambassador to the US Albert del Rosario. 

It was gathered that Romulo may eventually be appointed chairman of the Commission on Audit (COA) or as permanent representative to the United Nations.

COA Chairman Reynaldo Villar, meanwhile, said he will step down as soon as a new COA chairman is appointed to succeed him.

Villar stressed that his term will actually end in 2015 yet because he was appointed COA chairman only in 2008 for a term of seven years under the Constitution.

. In a three-page letter to President Aquino dated Feb. 22, Vilar denied allegations that he is clinging to his post.

“What pained me, my family and co-workers is that some media practitioners and even politicians have alleged that I am simply clinging to the office and to power without any legal basis,” he said.

He described the present condition of the commission to be at “its bleakest” in the 23 years he had been in it.

“Not because it has failed in meeting its mandate of safekeeping the coffers of the government but because of the perception that is has failed to do so,” Villar said.

“Perception and reality can be indistinguishable in some instances but it can be polar opposites in other cases. This time the perception and reality are poles apart,” he added. He said the COA has been able to prevent the wastage of billions of pesos in government funds in the past few years. 

Villar also pointed out that his term is supposed to end in 2015. He said that when he was named COA chair in 2008, his appointment papers stated that his term expires on Feb. 2, 2011 but then Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita issued a clarification letter that his term expires in 2015.

Once his appointment was questioned, he submitted his defense to the Supreme Court. 

“The reason why I have not argued my legal position in public even in the face of malicious attacks is borne out of my deepest respect for the Supreme Court considering that the matter is already sub judice,” Villar said.

Del Rosario was originally set to be briefed by the various DFA undersecretaries and assistant secretaries on urgent issues facing the DFA at present, including those in the Middle East and the fate of Filipinos on death row in China as well as relations with Taiwan.

This was deferred because Undersecretary for Policy Erlinda Basilio, whom Romulo designated as the “Acting Secretary” was called to Malacanang to instead brief the President on the same matters. Del Rosario is yet to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

Romulo’s last public appearance while on-leave from the DFA was leading DFA officials and personnel in celebrating the silver anniversary of EDSA People’s Power with members of the diplomatic community.