Ambassador Albert del Rosario: From Arroyo to Aquino

Former Arroyo ambassador Alberto del Rosario will take over the post to be vacated by long-time Foreign Affairs secretary Roberto Romulo. I am not about to pass judgment on del Rosario since he is a different animal in the previous dispensation. 


Del Rosario was fired by Arroyo after the Philippine ambassador exposed the Venable LLP PR DEAL. That deal, which cost the Filipino People, several hundreds of thousands of dollars, was allegedly the brain child of presidential brother, Buboy Macapagal. Norberto Gonzales was just a front man. 


Del Rosario, undeniably, is a well respected man in the diplomatic community. 


Although, less we forget, Alberto del Rosario was named by businessman Yuchengco as one of those who harassed him and forced him to sell his PLDT shares. No probe was undertaken. Del Rosario issued a statement denying Yuchengco's allegations. 


Del Rosario was still part of the First Pacific when Yuchengco sold his shares. He was still in the private sector and was never part of government, Del Rosario, in a statement alleged.


Other than this, there are no serious charges against Del Rosario. 


The only thing I am curious about is---why not hire somebody from inside the DFA, an ambassador who earned his spurs there, instead of an outsider, as Department head. Del Rosario has been out of diplomatic circles since he was ousted as Philippine envoy to Washington. 


Again, I am not questioning the integrity nor the competency of del Rosario. It is that del Rosario has been more of a high ranking executive of several foreign-based companies like First Pacific, than a full-pledged diplomat. Surely, del Rosario will favor the "deals" by these companies. 


Yet, again, I do not want to even discuss this. But, these things do come to mind, especially now, that our diplomatic problems are escalating mainly because of the existence of amateurs as head of our external affairs department.