Stick to being Duterte spokesman, Roque told

The appointment of Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque as presidential spokesman drew mixed reactions from his colleagues.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman of the “Magnificent 7” bloc of the House of Representatives said even before Roque officially assumed office, he is “expanding his turf” as incoming presidential spokesman.

“According to Roque, he accepted the position of spokesman in order to advise the President on human rights issues, which is the jurisdiction of the secretary of Justice,” Lagman said in a statement.

“The presidential spokesman is the President’s mouthpiece, not his volunteer adviser on human rights and other policy concerns,” he said.

The opposition lawmaker reminded that the presidential spokesman is the President’s alter ego after the fact, not a precursor of the fact.

“The role of a spokesman is to incant, elaborate or moderate the President’s pronouncements, not to mold the Chief Executive’s statements beforehand,” Lagman said.

“A spokesman reports the President’s statements but does not advise his principal on what to say,” Lagman said.

He also argued that Executive Order No. 4 dated July 10, 2010 “Reorganizing and Renaming the Office of the Press Secretary” and previous executive issuances relative to the position of presidential spokesman does not grant the presidential spokesman the authority to advise the President on matters other than the “messaging system” and “communications strategy” of the Office of the President.

For her part, Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera Dy, chairman of the House Committee on Public Information, said Roque is a “good choice” for presidential spokesman and Cabinet member.