MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) said a diplomat's religion should not be used as basis for his or her overseas posting as it approved the nomination of seven Philippine ambassadors and the ad interim appointments of nine mid-career level officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

CA member Representatives Luis Raymund Villafuerte and Johnny Pimentel stressed this as a certain Dr. Camad Mangotra and his group opposed the nomination of current envoy to Lebanon Raymund Balatbat as ambassador to Saudi Arabia because he was a 'non Muslim.'