Duterte eyes Panelo as Press Secretary
President Duterte said last night that he is considering Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo to be the head of the envisioned Office of the Press Secretary, “if he likes the job,” after Presidential spokesman Harry Roque offered to resign when he felt he was kept in the dark about his recent hospital visit.
“Ang sabi niya, mag-resign siya. Sabi ko ‘di sige (He offered to resign and I agreed). Then immediately I… namili na kaagad ako ng (looked for a) replacement,” he said.
He admitted that Roque was “not informed” about his medical checkup because he does not need to disclose everything to his spokesman. “There are things which are limited to the immediate members of the family,” he said.
Amid his planned reorganization of the Palace communication team, Duterte also revealed that Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Martin Andanar would likely be appointed “consultant.”
“There’s so many things that they have to reconfigure their programs sa (at) PTV 4. Maraming baguhin diyan siguro (A lot needs to be improved) to make it more responsive as a sounding board for the Republic of the Philippines, parang ganun,” he said.
Meanwhile, Duterte said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and five other Cabinet members might run for national and local posts in the 2019 midterm elections.
The President said Cayetano is expected to run for congressman in Taguig City in next year’s elections.
Other officials mentioned by the President who might run in the 2019 polls are Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go, Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino, Roque, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Guiling Mamondiong.
“I’m not sure but there will be guys running for the national office. Castriciones, DAR, and Harry Roque, I think is really running,” Duterte said during a press conference in Malacañang.
“Alan Peter Cayetano is also running and si Mamondiong sa TESDA is also running,” he added.
Duterte admitted that he was eyeing a diplomat to take the place of Cayetano at the helm of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). “I have a name. He agreed. But he did not authorize me to name him now. Maybe siya na lang ‘pag gusto na niya para… baka ma-ala Roque tayo,” he said.
Duterte said his assistant Go was also expected to run for senator in next year's elections.
“I think he will run. Pero… you’ll have a friend there in the Senate na makabiro ninyo. And maski ‘yung biscuit na lang pang-kape. Meron ‘yan siya sa opisina niya. I think Bong is running,” he said.
“In Murphy’s Law, anything can happen but I believe that he is really running,” he added.
Duterte also cited Tolentino, former Metro Manila Development Authority chief, as potential senatorial contender, saying he is a “very good administrator.”
“Iyong lahat ng disaster, from the Mayon, he was always my point man. He was my only contact from the outside. Not even Bong Go because Bong Go is overworked,” he said.
“So usually kung may mga crisis ganun, siya ‘yung nauuna. Siya ‘yung unappreciated na trabahante ng gobyerno. He’s a graduate of La Salle. Mautak ‘yan eh. Hindi lang mayabang," he added.