Teodoro, Laurel decline offers to join Duterte Cabinet

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Lyceum of the Philippines University official Peter Laurel have declined the offer of incoming president Rodrigo Duterte for them to join his administration. 

Over the weekend, Duterte said Teodoro had “begged off” from the position of defense secretary, a position he held during the Arroyo administration.

Duterte is considering a retired military man for the post, although he has yet to convince the person to accept the position. 

Laurel, a former Batangas vice governor and current president of the Lyceum of the Philippines Batangas and Laguna, also turned down the offer to head the Department of Education.

Duterte has yet to look for someone to replace Laurel, a son of former senator Sotero Laurel and grandson of former President Jose Laurel.

Duterte said people identified earlier to be part of his administration could be reshuffled as his search for Cabinet members and people to fill key positions is continuing.

He would also tap Filipinos abroad to join his administration, he added. 

More than 30 boxes of resumés have been submitted to the screening committee, sources said. 

Duterte was also quick to point out that all decisions regarding appointments of Cabinet members and other key officials are his alone. 

“I decide on my own and nobody dictates to me,” he said. “It is my own decision.”

A committee only passes to him a shortlist but that the final decision is his.

Among those who have agreed to join the Duterte administration are former agriculture secretary Carlos Dominguez, who will head the Department of Finance; Alfonso Cusi, Department of Energy; Silvestre Bello III, Department of Labor and Employment; Arthur Tugade, Department of Transportation and Communications; Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways; and Emmanuel Piñol, Department of Agriculture. 

Duterte’s campaign manager Leoncio Evasco has   been name secretary to the Cabinet. 

Duterte said he has yet to name secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Science and Technology and Department of the Interior and Local Government, as well as the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

The position of chief negotiator with the communist rebels remains vacant as Duterte is still looking for someone to replace Bello. 

Ernesto Pernia of the University of the Philippines School of Economics shall head the National Economic and Development Authority.

Duterte also named retired Armed Forces chief   Hermogenes Esperon national security adviser and Joint Task Group-Basilan chief Col. Rolando Bautista as head of the Presidential Security Group.

Bautista once served as commander of the Army-led Task Force Davao sometime in the early 2000s.