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Yabut appointment to PSC, a GMA payback?

By Julius Manicad

08/06/2008

President Arroyo seems to be using sports in shuffling his political cards.

The Chief Executive is said to have lined up a political figure as next commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) after she had plucked Ambrosio de Luna out of the P400 million a year agency for an undersecretary’s position in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

A Malacañang source yesterday revealed losing Makati vice mayoralty candidate Nemesio “King” Yabut Jr. is set to replace De Luna. Yabut’s appointment, however, is seen as a political payback by Arroyo for stepping aside to allow Sen. Lito Lapid’s mayoralty bid in the prime city against heavyweight incumbent Jejomar Binay.

Yabut’s late father was a former mayor of Makati and was one-time president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap). The son, meanwhile, topped the councilor’s list of the city in 2001.

Lapid, however, tapped him for vice mayor in 2007, only to lose by a wide margin to Ednesto Mecado of the United Opposition (Uno).

De Luna reportedly received a memorandum signed by the President last July 26, informing him of his appointment to DAR. Only the arrival of DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman from an official trip is awaited to make his appointment official.

“There is a shortlist, and Yabut is said to be on top of the list,” the source said, begging off to be identified. “If that happens, we would not be surprised. After all, the one-year ban (on losing candidates) has been already lifted.”

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, however, said that as long as there is no formal appointment, no changes would take place within his turf.

Appointed in 2003, De Luna, a lawyer, is one of the longest serving commissioners next to Ricardo Garcia, who also served under the Estrada administration. And like what he did in the PSC, De Luna will also handle the legal affairs of DAR.