Lina out, Reyes in at DILG

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. has resigned from his post, signaling the first high-level change in President Arroyo’s Cabinet since her full six-year term began on June 30.

Lina, in an emotional statement announcing his irrevocable resignation effective July 15, said he wants to return to private life and spend more time with his family.

Anti-kidnapping and smuggling czar retired Gen. Angelo Reyes has been appointed to take Lina’s place, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement issued by Malacañang.

Lina handed in his resignation last Dec. 12 but Mrs. Arroyo turned it down.

"I stayed on in office to complete the remaining months of the President’s term and to help in her campaign," Lina said. With Mrs. Arroyo’s election to a full six-year term, "I feel I have fulfilled my obligation to serve the President and the country through these offices."

Lina’s resignation was accepted with "regrets," Bunye said in a statement. "The President thanked Lina for contributing to political stability in the country by maintaining law and order and by enhancing the capability of local government," he said.

Lina told The STAR that his resignation was not meant to jump the gun on Mrs. Arroyo, who is rumored to be planning to ax him soon.

"I have to put an end to my being the poorest Cabinet member," he quipped. "I really have to work and my pay in government cannot support my family needs."

A former governor of Laguna and senator, Lina as interior secretary had spearheaded campaigns against illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

Mrs. Arroyo appointed Lina, then a provincial governor, to the Department of Interior and Local Government shortly after she replaced scandal-tainted Joseph Estrada in early 2001.

Estrada was ousted by a military-backed popular uprising following massive corruption allegations and is now on trial for plunder.

Lina said he has altogether spent 18 years in government service. Before that he campaigned against the brutal Marcos dictatorship as an activist and then became a lawyer serving mostly poor clients for another 18 years.

"I have served my country with full devotion since I was 17 years of age," he said. "Now I feel I must devote my full time and effort to meet the needs of my family, particularly those of my six children, who are all of school age."

Lina added he would also like to devote "quality time to respond to God’s will for me to grow spiritually and to serve Him in new ways."

He made it clear that his "resolve to serve God and country has not diminished. But I shall now continue to serve God and country in a new capacity as a private citizen."

Aside from going back to law practice, Lina said would like to try his hand as a radio and television show host.

"I have to do something with being the poorest member of the Cabinet. I intend to go back to private (law) practice, do some consultancy work, and if the media moguls would allow me, I would like to have a radio and television program which could also earn me some money," Lina said.

"Once I have stabilized my economic situation, then I would definitely consider going back to government service," he added.

As for Mrs. Arroyo, Lina said he would "pray that God will bless her and grant that her leadership will bring our country into a period of unity and prosperity."

There has been widespread speculation that Mrs. Arroyo would revamp her Cabinet drastically after being inaugurated on June 30 following her victory in the May 10 polls, despite opposition charges that she won the election through fraud.

Top administration officials have said that they all tendered courtesy resignations to give Mrs. Arroyo a free hand in reorganizing her government.

Mrs. Arroyo has since unveiled an ambitious government program for her next six years in office including possibly changing the form of government from a US-style presidential system to a parliamentary, federal system.

She also pledged to unite the nation after years of political upheaval, tackle corruption, fix the state’s fiscal woes, mobilize capital for the private sector, create jobs, improve infrastructure, and end the communist and Muslim rebellions.

‘A Great Loss’

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao described Lina’s resignation as a "great loss" to the police force.

Other ranking officials, however, were glad. "Just look at jueteng (the illegal lotteries). When he assumed office he promised that he would stamp it out in just six months. Sad to say, he failed," said one official, who asked not to be identified.

It was not immediately known if Reyes will retain his post as chief of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, which has successfully dented the country’s kidnapping scourge with the arrest of several top kidnap suspects.

Reyes is a former Armed Forces chief and a key Arroyo ally. Estrada was toppled when the military, then headed by Reyes, backed the popular uprising.

Reyes was appointed defense secretary on March 17, the same year he retired from the service.

He resigned in August last year following a mutiny by a group of disgruntled junior officers. He was appointed to the anti-kidnapping task force shortly later.

Reyes quit month after over 300 mutinous officers and soldiers took over a ritzy condominium in the heart of Makati City’s financial district in protest over alleged corruption in the military.

Reyes said he resigned to spare the Arroyo administration criticism for keeping him and to preserve the "confidence of our people in the Filipino soldier."

As head of the anti-kidnapping task force, Reyes scored several victories in the Arroyo administration’s war against kidnap-for-ransom gangs that often preyed on wealthy Chinese-Filipinos.

Asked to comment on his new appointment, which restores his full Cabinet portfolio, Reyes told The STAR: "Of course, I am humbled by this and I’m grateful to the President’s trust in choosing me to serve in this new capacity."

Reyes said he aims to help realize Mrs. Arroyo’s goal of easing the plight of the country’s poor by ensuring law and order "so that investors and tourists would come here and governance can proceed."

Reyes was appointed to head the anti-kidnapping task force at a time when kidnap gangs seemed to be operating with so much impunity that Mrs. Arroyo had branded them along with terrorists as enemies of the state. — With Jaime Laude, AFP