Yet, there has neither been any news nor official communication from the home office whether he’d be retained or replaced.

“There’s nothing official yet as far as my status is concerned. I’m still waiting for an official communication regarding it from the home office,” he told Arab News in an interview before he left for Manila early this month.

A source at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines said that at 76, Villamor is long past retirement, adding that he might be allowed to go to give the opportunity to younger diplomats to also serve in the Kingdom.

However, a senior diplomat at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that with Villamor’s performance during the last 3 1/2 years as the Philippine ambassador in the Kingdom, he may be retained. At the moment, calls from the various Filipino groups in Riyadh are mounting for his retention as the Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

He said that Saudi Arabia is a major post and the government could not afford to have no ambassador here at any point in time because of its “excellent and friendly ties with the Kingdom which plays host to some 1.4 million Filipino migrant workers.”

He added that if Villamor goes, it would take about four months before a replacement could be appointed. Congress will have to convene for this and this does not take place anytime soon. The ambassador-designate will have to be confirmed by the Commission in Appointments.

“In addition, there will also be the waiting time for the Kingdom to accept the ambassador-designate,” he told Arab News from Manila.

He added that the retention of Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo as top official at DFA bodes well for Villamor.

“It was Foreign Secretary Romulo who recommended Villamor, who had retired from the Foreign Service in 1999 after 43 years of continuous service, to President Arroyo as the Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia,” he said.

He said that during a search among the DFA personnel for someone who could be assigned to the Kingdom, Villamor’s name “always cropped up.”

Villamor officially took over on Dec. 28, 2006 to replace then Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla who had been cross-posted to Turkey.

The source added that someone else may be appointed but a right-thinking government won’t replace someone who has proven himself through performance.