In Cabinet shuffle, Duterte looks for replacements

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is still scouting for replacements for some members of his Cabinet who are running for the Senate and local posts in the 2019 midterm elections.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro Locsin Jr. has accepted the offer to become secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs after Duterte designated him to replace Alan Peter Cayetano, who is running for congressman in Taguig City. 

Duterte is now looking for Locsin’s replacement as envoy to the UN.

“There has to be replacement because there are positions to be vacated,” Duterte said, speaking to media upon arrival in Davao City from Indonesia yesterday.

“But you know my choices. It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do na I want to ingratiate myself to the military. I don’t need that,” he added.

Aside from Cayetano, also expected to run in the coming polls are Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, Secretary to the Cabinet Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Guiling Mamondiong, director of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go and presidential adviser on political affairs Francis Tolentino are also among those supposedly eyeing Senate seats or local posts in the 2019 polls.

Duterte had appointed current presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo as presidential spokesman replacing Roque.

Duterte said he will also be speaking with Roque regarding his political plans.

The President is obviously not pleased with Roque’s hemming and hawing on whether to leave the Cabinet and pursue his plans to run for the Senate.  

Panelo held his first press briefing as the new presidential spokesperson although he has been visible to the Malacañang Press Corps as Palace legal counsel.

Panelo presented to the media a memorandum dated Oct. 11 which effectively assigns him as the new spokesperson. 

The order leaves Roque with no post to return to when he arrives from China on Monday.

Duterte has just appointed retired Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista as head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. 

Special Assistant Go informed the President during their flight back home that Roque has relayed to him that he will no longer run for any post.

“The flight was smooth. But when we were talking about Harry, I got dizzy. ‘So, where are we heading with this Bong?’ So, I said, I’ll just talk to him. Better,” Duterte said.

“Are you really running or not? Running, then not running,” he said, surmising the decision might be reached in 2021.

Roque, now in China on a personal trip, will return on Monday. He said he wants to sit down with the President for guidance.

The Palace also plans to reorganize the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and revert its functions to the Office of the Press Secretary.

Duterte said he will look for another legal adviser if Panelo wants to focus on being the official presidential spokesman.

What next for Andanar

Duterte also expressed doubts whether current PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar will be up to task as political adviser since he has not won any election – whether local or national.

“Second, Martin Andanar should be around. Siya – palit-palit sila, pero there must only be one press secretary. And historically, na ano lang. Ano talaga ’yan. It was addressed as a press office, press secretary,” he said.

Appointing Andanar as political adviser might end up as a political disaster, Duterte said in jest, that’s why he is looking at every possible candidate.

“Disgrasya tayong lahat kung political adviser. Talo, tanungin mo nga kung nanalo ba siya ng eleksyon ni minsan? ‘Di biro lang ’yan. I’ll consider everybody,” Duterte said.

At the same time, Duterte defended his decision to appoint retired military and police officials to key posts in government. He said officers from the uniformed services are good at executing his orders without much ado.