”There is a strong possibility that at least two of them may be confirmed because they able to handle already the most of the opposition and hearings and they have also submitted the necessary documents,” Sotto told the media.

Sotto is referring to the Secretaries Armin Luistro of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Alberto Lim of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

The two are set to face their respective CA panels on Tuesday.

”Perhaps it’s the final hearings and let us see how the chairman and the members of will take action,” Sotto said.

Other Cabinet members who are scheduled to face the CA on Wednesday are Secretaries Jose Almendras of energy and Proceso Alcala of agriculture.

Sotto said President Aquino can still re-appoint any Cabinet member that will be rejected by the CA.

”It’s the prerogative of the President. We have no prohibition on the numbers of times the President will re-appoint a rejected appointee,” Sotto said.

The lawmaker, however, is hoping that President Aquino would adhere to his old stand when the President was still member of the Senate that a rejected Cabinet member should be reappointed two times.

”It’s his (President Aquino) own decision before that only twice a rejected Cabinet member will be reappointed,” Sotto said.

Last week, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago withdrew her opposition to the appointment of Luistro but the education chief still failed to get the endorsement of the CA committee on education after another group aired their opposition against Luistro’s confirmation.

A group in the tourism industry also opposed the appointment of Lim but a majority group composed of travel agency, hotel and restaurant owners supported the DoT chief’s confirmation.

Manila Bulletin