Gibo Teodoro turns down second offer to head Defense department

MANILA, Philippines –For the second time, former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro has rejected President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to head the department again.

Duterte early Thursday said Teodoro, who served as Defense secretary to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo before running for president in 2010, was disenchanted and declined his second offer.

Last May, the president asked Teodoro to become his Defense chief but he turned the offer down.

“Coming in tonight, I called him and reiterated my [offer]…Si Gibo, talagang naghugas-kamay. These are the guys siguro who had a -- who had some… Maybe ‘disenchanted’ would be the word. Because, you know, he ran for president,” Duterte said in press briefing at Victoria Plaza Compound, Bajada, Davao City.

The president renewed his offer to Teodoro after he considered appointing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as an ambassador to the United States on Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez's recommendation. However, Duterte disclosed that Lorenzana also asked the president to reassess his appointment to the United States, citing his old age.

READ: Duterte renews offer for Gibo Teodoro to head Defense department

“Itong si Lorenzana naman, eh gusto niya ng kaganda ng buhok niya ‘nong pumunta ‘yan dito, ngayon wala na siyang buhok. Konti na lang,” Duterte said. He also quoted Lorenzana saying ‘I will work there. Pero gusto ko lang malaman mo na matanda na ako, saka mahirap ang buhay sa labas.’

Duterte clarified that both the Defense secretary and the ambassador to the US post are vacant.

“Ayaw niya (Lorenzana) eh, ayaw rin ni Gibo, ibig sabihin, maghanap tayo ng iba,” he said.