Ejercito chides CA members with mining interests who did not inhibit from Lopez vote

Members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) with mining interests should have inhibited from voting on the confirmation of Gina Lopez as Environment secretary, Senator JV Ejercito on Thursday said.

Ejercito, a member of the bicameral body, was one of the senators who manifested having voted in favor of Lopez’s appointment.

“I suggested to CA members with connections or interests in mining to inhibit out of delicadeza,” Ejercito said in a text message.

“Ronny Zamora might accuse me of local politics, but the least he could have done to remove the perception of their vested interest was not to take part in the voting. Sad to say perception is that vested interest won in this battle,” the senator added.

The families of Senator Ejercito and Rep. Ronaldo Zamora are political rivals in San Juan City.

Zamora earlier confirmed he voted against Lopez’s confirmation, saying she was not prepared for the job.

Zamora's elder brother, Manuel Zamora Jr., is chairman of Nickel Asia Corp., the country’s largest nickel miner.

Sources have said that the vote, done through secret balloting, was 16-8, with the majority rejecting Lopez as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Ejercito and seven other senators manifested at the CA plenary that they voted in support of Lopez.

The other senators are Manny Pacquiao, Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Ralph Recto, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Franklin Drilon.

While the senators already complete the eight who supposedly voted in favor of Lopez, one of the lawmakers who were part of the House contingent said, she too, voted for Lopez.

“I voted for Gina. I was her champion from the start,” Manila Rep. Sandy Ocampo said in a separate text message.

“Our country and the world would have seen the great difference if we gave her that chance to fly,” Ocampo added, referring to Lopez’s favorite song, "I Believe I Can Fly," which she sang after her appointment was rejected.

In a social media post, Senator Panfilo Lacson said “passion and enthusiasm do not automatically translate into fitness and qualification.”

“Above all these is the rule of law,” Lacson, one of those who voted against Lopez, pointed out.  — VDS, GMA News