October 23, 2009, 7:06pm
At least 15 cabinet members are expected to leave President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s government soon to pursue their political ambitions in the 2010 national and local elections, Malacañang said Friday.Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President is ready with the replacements for the cabinet officials with political plans, including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro who is gunning for the presidency next year.
Ermita, however, said they would leave to the sound judgment of the political hopefuls from the cabinet to decide the appropriate time in quitting their posts.
Appointed government officials are required to resign from their positions as soon as they file theirExecutive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President is ready with the replacements for the cabinet certificates of candidacy. The deadline for the filing of COCs is set on November 30, 2009.
“(Presidential political adviser Gabriel) Claudio and I counted and it’s about 15. Some will run for mayor and congressman,” Ermita told reporters in the Palace about the number of cabinet members who will seek elective posts next year.
Ermita did not identify the members of the President’s cabinet with political plans.
So far, Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Presidential adviser on the peace process Avelino Razon Jr. have quit their posts to prepare for their election bids next year.
Teodoro, the administration’s preferred presidential candidate, earlier said he plans to tender his resignation early next month.
Other cabinet members who are believed to be running for elective post next year are Vice President Noli de Castro, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez, Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority chair Augusto Syjuco, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno.
Despite their electoral plans, Ermita said he trusts these cabinet members would continue to exercise their duties without politicking ahead of the campaign period.
Asked if the cabinet men should quit now, Ermita said: “It depends because a candidate is also worried he may be criticized in the media that he is taking advantage of his position so they submit their resignation early.”
“It’s their call and it’s not a matter of somebody saying this is the proper time,” he added.
In the case of Teodoro, he said it is up to the “better judgment” of the presidential contender when to quit.
Teodoro overseas the government’s relief and rehabilitation efforts as chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.
“When a storm comes and you resign, they will say you have no sense of responsibility, that you resigned when there is an emergency. Others will say when he doesn’t resign and there is no emergency, he has no delicadeza,” he said.
Ermita said the President has an adequate pool of personnel to replace the resigning cabinent members, and would reveal the new appointments at the proper time.
“All possible replacements of cabinet secretaries who will run have been discussed in a very informal way but I assure you it’s a very correct assumption that the President already has in her mind who should be taking over somebody,” he said.
“The choice of cabinet post is only with the President. She plays her cards close to her chest so she doesn’t tell me,” he added.
Ermita assured there would be “no hiatus” in government operations since the President can designate officers-in-charge in affected departments from senior undersecretaries and other career officers until a permanent official is designated.
Claudio, meantime, rejected calls from some opposition groups that Teodoro should immediately resign like Ebdane to insulate the defense department from partisan politics.
Claudio said Teodoro is “not in the campaign mode” and remains focused on his job at the NDCC while Luzon remains under a state of calamity.
He said Teodoro is expected to leave the cabinet as soon as the urgency presented by the natural calamities has been addressed.
Claudio said the ruling party is expected to finalize its presidential and senatorial slates when it holds a national convention on November 12 either in Manila or Cebu.
Claudio said the party has narrowed down its choices for the running mate of Teodoro to some incumbent officials with experience and track record.
Claudio, secretary general of the administration party, declined to identify who are in the party’s shortlist of vice presidential bets.
“There is every logic for a choice of an incumbent official because there is experience, qualifications and qualities of a good running mate of Secretary Teodoro,” Claudio told reporters in the Palace.
“I would say there is an edge. The party has a preference for an incumbent official or somebody who has at least served in government already so there is experience and track record of service to the public,” he added.
Claudio admitted that the search for the vice presidential candidate is still on despite earlier endorsement of Puno, whose nomination was “not official and was just an expression of preference” by the national executive committee last month.
Puno yesterday said he is quitting from the vice presidential race.
“That doesn’t close the door on other possibilities but all of these will be discussed formally by the national executive committee probably in the same manner the standard bearer was determined by the party and then all of that will be ratified in a national convention,” he said.
Earlier, some party allies have pushed for Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and Senator Loren Legarda as possible administration vice presidential candidates.
“As we get closer to the date of convention or actual filing of certificates, we will know the choice of the party based on the recommendations of the members of the executive committee and preference of the standard bearer,” he added.
On the senatorial candidates, Claudio said the party may not necessarily complete the lineup in time for the national convention next month.
“The important thing is we are able to come up with a ticket that is winnable, credible and supportive of the chances of our presidential candidate,” he added.
Source: http://mb.com.ph/articles/226131/at-least-15-cabinet-men-resign-run-next-year
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