Reyes, 2 others on the way out

BANGKOK, Thailand - Who's next on the chopping block?

President Estrada indicated here the other night that Press Secretary Rodolfo Reyes is on the way out.

A Palace source told The STAR at least three more Cabinet secretaries will be fired within the next few days. The source did not give details.

Asked about reports that he was eyeing television talk show host and STAR columnist Ricardo "Dong" Puno to replace Reyes, Mr. Estrada did not deny that there was a talent search for a new press secretary.

He also admitted he was not too happy with Reyes' performance.

But the President said Puno was an unlikely replacement since the government may not be able to afford the journalist who is a top executive of ABS-CBN broadcast network.

The President talked with Manila-based reporters after a thanksgiving dinner he hosted for the Phi-lippine delegation to the roundtable meeting of the United Nations-Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the 10th UN Conference on Trade and Development.

"Mahina si Rod (Rod is weak)," a source quoted Mr. Estrada as saying recently when reports of an alleged "3 Ds" smear campaign against his administration came out.

Reyes is currently in the United States for a medical checkup.

Puno is an older brother of former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno who was also stripped of his Cabinet portfolio last Jan. 8.

Mr. Estrada asserted that the Cabinet revamp will continue in response to criticisms about perceived weaknesses in his administration as shown by a report of the European Investigative Union (EIU) on the results of its survey among expatriates in Manila.

At the same time, the President pointed out that the EIU survey was based on 1998 statistics when the Cabinet revamp had not yet taken place.

Mr. Estrada said earlier the ouster of his justice secretary, Serafin Cuevas, last week was part of the continuing overhaul of his official family.

Malacañang said Mr. Estrada has accepted Cuevas' resignation and has appointed Court of Appeals Justice Artemio Tuquero as replacement.

The President also indicated there have been policy differences between him and Cuevas.

A presidential aide who requested anonymity confirmed that Mr. Estrada has seriously taken into consideration mounting criticisms about perceived weaknesses in his 19-month-old administration.

The President appointed last week Aprodicio Laquian as his chief of staff, taking over the functions of Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Leonora de Jesus who, in turn, was designated Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and co-chairman of the Presidential Commission on Mass Housing.

"Secretary De Jesus is really a hard worker and very industrious. But what we need is teamwork and not a one-woman show," Mr. Estrada stressed.

The EIU poll showed that while expatriates managing multinational corporations in Manila were upbeat with the local economy, they said the economic targets could be surpassed if there was a stronger governance.

The respondents noted that red tape, inconsistent government policy on business and cumbersome proceedings in the legal system were slowing down growth.

They also claimed that cronyism and corruption were two of the stumbling blocks to progress.

"This may sound harsh, but it only means that it can be rectified through determined government action," said EIU president Peter Wallace.

He added that the expatriates were not seriously concerned about Mr. Estrada's plunging popularity.

Earlier, the Chief Executive alluded to an alleged plot by the political opposition and critical media to sow disinformation in order to engender public disaffection and destabilize the administration. He called it the 3-Ds campaign.

One of those said to be behind the campaign was former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte, who countered by saying the government would likely self-destruct due to its own bungling.

But Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes said he has not received any report about destabilization efforts against the government.

Reyes said no one in his right mind would want any move to destabilize the government as it would harm the people and adversely affect the country's economy and image in the international community. -