Cabinet appointees should be competent — senator

MANILA, Philippines -  Sen. Francis Pangilinan has raised concerns about several recent appointments made by President Duterte, which he said the public should watch closely.

Pangilinan said in making appointments, the consideration should always be the competence, integrity and passion of the appointee.

“All government offices are integral to the success or failure of government, as well as the Filipino people,” said Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party.

He cited as an example the appointment of controversial blogger, sexy dancer and staunch Duterte supporter Mocha Uson as assistant secretary at the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), which ruffled many feathers, including “government workers doing critical work for lower pay who have been contractual for a long time.”

“We share their sentiment. Uson also looks down on Philippine media practitioners as chroniclers of the nation’s story. In March this year, without provocation, she used her radio program to bash Liberal Party chairperson Vice President Leni Robredo, calling her names and disrespecting her person, her office and the millions who voted for her,” Pangilinan said. Her radio show has since been suspended. 

Gov’t posts for Mocha Girls 

Duterte also said yesterday he was ready to give government posts to members of the Mocha Girls, the dance group led by Uson.  

“Kung gusto n’yo magtrabaho, OK lang (If you want to work, it’s OK),” the President said in an online video posted by Uson. 

“I will distribute you to the MTRCB. You can’t stay in one office. It will be too noisy,” he added. 

Duterte said the Mocha Girls, known for their sexy dance performances, should also be tapped to entertain Filipinos during his foreign trips. 

Military men  in Cabinet

Pangilinan also aired his concern about the recent appointments of military men to the Cabinet, specifically retired general Roy Cimatu as environment secretary and retiring Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Eduardo Año as interior and local government secretary.

He said the entry of the military officials “could also be a portent, and is a cause of concern.”

“Do these appointments mean the militarization of the government bureaucracy? The success of government is the success of the nation. We wish the new Cabinet officials good luck as we keep vigilant watch,” he added.

Duterte said he chose Año as he can deal with problems caused by police scalawags.

As interior and local government secretary, Año has supervisory powers over the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), National Police Commission, Philippine Public Safety College and Local Government Academy, as well as local government units.

Sen. Francis Escudero, for his part, sees no problem with the presence of former military officers in the Cabinet.

Escudero said this has been done by past presidents, who all saw the vast experience of the officers, particularly those who have headed the AFP.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa yesterday welcomed the appointment of Año as interior and local government secretary.

New appointees in DILG

Duterte also appointed on Wednesday former police intelligence officer Nestor Quinsay as assistant secretary in the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Quinsay will oversee the BFP and other public safety concerns, said DILG officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy.

Cuy said Quinsay’s experience as an officer of the PNP will be an asset to the DILG.

Quinsay retired from the PNP last February. He held the posts of acting director of the Directorate for Intelligence and Police Communications Group.

Duterte also appointed six officials as director III at the central and regional offices of the DILG.

They are Juan Jovian Ingeniero of DILG-National Capital Region, Victoria Ramos of DILG-Region 1, Odilon Pasaraba of DILG-Region 2, Araceli San Jose of DILG-Region 3, Karl Caesar Rimando of DILG-Region 4B and Dennis Villaseñor of the Bureau of Local Government Development of the DILG-Central Office. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Alexis Romero, Jess Diaz