CA confirms appointments of Philippine ambassador to Brazil, 18 DFA officials

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday approved the nomination of the country's ambassador to Brazil as well as the ad interim appointments of 18 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

This came after the CA committee on foreign affairs discussed and recommended their respective nomination and appointments for plenary approval.

Ambassador Mario Fontanilla Chan faced the CA on Wednesday and presented his credentials in public service, specifically in the military.

Chan served in the government for 41 years and 11 months, 38 years of which were in the active military service.

He reached the rank of Major General in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with last posting as commander of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, before his retirement.

Chan also served in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as head executive assistant of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and spent one year and 11 months as an executive assistant of DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

The new envoy to Brazil had previously served as the Philippines’ defense and Armed Forces attaché to India with concurrent jurisdiction over Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka,

“In the AFP and the DENR, I have also served in additional duties with engagement with foreign government agencies and institutions, including international and regional organizations in matters pertaining to defense and military and on environment and national resources concerns, respectively,” he said.

While working for DENR in 2019, Chan was sent by Cimatu and Locsin as head of the Philippine contingent rapid response team to the Tripoli, Libya.

He was deployed to help in the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers amid security tensions in the said country.

“That led to my eventual transfer to the DFA in October 2019,” he said.

Chan will replace dismissed Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro, whose term was cut short after she allegedly maltreated her household helper.

Chan’s position will have concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Colombia, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the Republic of Suriname, and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Apart from Chan, the CA has approved the ad interim appointments of the following:

• Sulpicio Miguel Confiado, Chief of Mission, Class I
• Nathaniel Garcia Imperial, Chief of Mission, Class I
• Charlie Pacaña Manangan, Chief of Mission, Class I
• Hjayceelyn Mancenido Quintana, Chief of Mission, Class I
• Renato Pedro Oabel Villa, Chief of Mission, Class I
• Leo Tito Lunar Ausan Jr, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Jose Almodovar Cabrera III, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Emilio Torres Fernandez, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Josel Francisco Ignacio, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Rosario Paulino Lemque, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Marcos Angelo Abad Santos Punsalang, Chief of Mission, Class II
• Ariz Severino Villaescusa Convalecer, Career Minister
• Maria Paz Gaban Cortes, Career Minister
• Christina Gracia Rola McKernan, Career Minister
• Reichel Pajarillaga Quiñones, Career Minister
• J. Anthony Aquino Reyes, Career Minister
• Redentor Diaz Genotiva, Foreign Service Officer, Class I
• Mary Grace Villanueva Villamayor, Foreign Service Officer, Class I

—AOL, GMA News