US State shakeup: Kristie Kenneyearly retirement

Just a few days before the confirmation of Rex Tillerson as US Secretary of State on Feb. 1, four top career diplomats that include former US Ambassador to the UN Patrick Kennedy (who has been with the US State Department since 1973 and was then Undersecretary of State for Management) suddenly “resigned” from their posts.

Sources however say that Kennedy and the other officials were “let go,” triggering rumors about an upcoming “purge” which seems to be happening now with major news organizations such as CNN, CBS, Washington Post and The New York Times coming out with reports about a massive reorganization at the US State Department.

Among those who have reportedly been “let go” is former Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney who was appointed as Counselor of the Department in February last year. A check with the State Department’s official website still lists her in the same position, outlining her work as that of a special advisor and consultant to the State Secretary on major problems of foreign policy. As a member of the Senior Foreign Service, Kenney holds the highest diplomatic rank of Career Ambassador in the Department.

However, an entry in Wikipedia claims that Kenney’s term of office as Counselor ended on Feb. 17, with several of our friends in Washington confirming that Ambassador Kenney was “retired much earlier than expected.” The same sources also confirmed that Tillerson is not in a hurry to name her replacement, as well as that of Undersecretary for Management which Pat Kennedy vacated much earlier.

Kenny

Kristie Kenney — who was the first female ambassador to be assigned to the Philippines —was also one of the most popular, well liked by many Filipinos who saw her as an approachable and warmhearted diplomat. She would often fly to Mindanao, and was the first American ambassador to conduct a meeting in a rebel base controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to urge its chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim to resume the stalled peace talks with the Philippine government.

During her tenure, several strong typhoons battered the Philippines — Frank, Ondoy, and Pepeng — and survivors to this day continue to be grateful for the relief and assistance provided by the United States, remembering how the ambassador flew on a military aircraft to personally oversee the relief efforts and distribute relief goods to victims.  

Filipinos also saw her fun side when she gamely obliged Edu Manzano to do the “Papaya Dance” during a morning show at ABS-CBN, and showed her version of the “moonwalk” popularized by Michael Jackson in one of her last TV interviews before her next posting to Thailand.

While it was par for her role as State Department Counselor to take on special diplomatic assignments and undertake efforts to enhance US diplomacy, it was her popularity with Filipinos — with whom she has made a lot of friends — that was most likely a major reason why then-State Secretary John Kerry sent her to the Philippines to meet with President Duterte in July last year to “start the conversation with the new Philippine government.” 

The news about the departure of Ambassador Kenny and the staff reorganization at the State Department has sent shockwaves, not to mention trigger anxiety, among other career officials — whose appointments normally have a regular term that go beyond any change of administration — because it was so sudden, aside from the fact that the replacements of those who have been let go have yet to be named. 

Critics of US President Donald Trump said the sudden shakeup – which will leave more than 20 career foreign and civil service officials in the lurch – leaves the State Department lacking in expertise especially when it comes to regional diplomacy. Many of these career officials are also known to be “apolitical” and “non-partisan,” serving under both Republican and Democrat presidents over the years.

GMA’s revenge: De Lima’s karma

“Now that the shoe is on the other foot, how does karma feel?” This was what former first gentleman Mike Arroyo posted on Facebook after President Duterte’s stinging tirade against Sen. Leila de Lima during the 115th anniversary of the Philippine National Police, naming her as the senator with a driver-bodyguard-lover who was engaged in the illegal drugs business.

Supporters of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo believe that what’s happening to De Lima — who is facing illegal drug charges for which she could be arrested – is indeed, a bite of karma for abusing her position as Secretary of Justice, in particular her defiance of a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court that allowed GMA to leave the country and seek medical treatment.

Members of the PNP stopped the Arroyo couple at the airport upon orders of De Lima, who insisted that she “did not defy the TRO,” giving an explanation that it was Mrs. Arroyo who was “in a hurry to leave the country despite the pendency of the case.”

De Lima further claimed that she did not receive any copy of the TRO and only found out about it from the media — though a Justice department reporter confirmed she “conveniently left her office early” so she would not be around when the TRO copy was delivered. Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta even lectured De Lima that as lawyers, they have to follow the lawful orders of any court.

If convicted of the drug charges, De Lima faces 12 years to life imprisonment — longer than the five years GMA spent under detention.

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