President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy’’ C. Aquino III is being charitable when he extended the stay of non-career or political ambassadors at their foreign posts for at least three more months although their appointments were co-terminus with the June 30 end of the nine-year tenure of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, chairperson of the Senate foreign relations committee in the recent 14th Congress, said the extension given by Aquino is sufficient leeway for these political ambassadors to tie up loose ends at their posts.

As chairperson of the committee on foreign affairs of the Commission on Appointments (CA), Santiago said the extension “gives the family of the ambassador time to sever their ties’’ with his host country.

“For example, if there are school ties, if the mother has certain ties with civic organizations, and so on. It is difficult because the ambassador brings the entire family and household with him,’’ she explained.

Asked if it is possible for the ambassadors to be re-appointed, Santiago said this depends upon the President but “if he wants to be authoritarian or if he wants to be an ogre, or a monster, then he can recall all of them as of July 1.’’

Queried if it is correct to demand the immediate return of these political ambassadors even if they do not still have replacements sent by the home office, Santiago said that this issue is covered by the Foreign Service Act or the Administrative Code.

“Under our law, the Foreign Service Act, if you read it together with the Administrative Code of the Philippines, you will reach the conclusion that under the law, technically, the incumbent president can recall all political or non-career ambassadors after June 30,’’ she said.