Aquino hopes to appoint new execs before trip

PRESIDENT Benigno S. C. Aquino III hopes to appoint heads to four key government positions before he leaves for Canada next week.

“I’m hoping that before I leave for the next trip, which is next week for Canada, that I’ll be able to finish all these interviews,” the President said, referring to moves that will fill up top positions in the Bureau of Corrections ( BuCor), Com- mission on Elections (Comelec), Department of Energy ( DoE) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“In the BuCor... hopefully by Saturday, the person I’ve spoken with, I told him that this will be very difficult, this position you’re getting into, and that if you decide to go through with it, I wan’t your eyes to be opened that the path you will take will be difficult and that you are ready for whatever comes,” Mr. Aquino told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of a Negros Occidental facility on Thursday. “So by this Saturday, I hope I’ll get a final answer from him regarding his acceptance,” he said.

For the chairmanship in the Comelec, the President said he just needs to interview the primary candidate before he decides on the appointment.

“[ T] his person is relatively young, he’s acknowledged in the legal circles, he has already proven his mettle. The only thing I need is the confirmation that he wants the job as opposed to being forced to it. I just need to hear it from his lips,” he said.

As for the vacancy in the DoE, Mr. Aquino said he has narrowed down his choices to two individuals who can replace Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, but cited that he is still trying to convince Mr. Petilla to remain in office.

“I’m down to two candidates. At the same time, I’m also hoping that I might be able to make Secretary Petilla stay longer. So perhaps there might not be a need but in case there is a need, there are two that I just need to do a final interview,” he said.

Two names have been floating in media circles on who might be the replacement for Mr. Petilla — former energy secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla, who served under the term of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and National Transmission Corp. ( TransCo) President Rolando T. Bacani.

As for the position of the Philippine National Police ( PNP) chief, Mr. Aquino said that he is still finalizing some steps to make sure that there is “least disruption in the PNP hierarchy.” —