Rodrigo Duterte Philippine presumptive president reveals possible members of Cabinet.

May 11, 2016

Philippine presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte has bared some possible members of his Cabinet, including secretaries from the previous administrations and a former military general.

The Davao City mayor, who is leading the partial unofficial election results, told reporters that he has yet to talk to other people whom he would consider to be part of his Official Family.

In dialogues with businessmen prior to the May 9 elections, Duterte said that he would appoint as his peace adviser his former classmate and fellow Davaoeno, Jesus Dureza, who served as the peace adviser and press secretary of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He was also eyeing hotel owner Carlos Dominguez to be his secretary at the Department of Finance or the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Duterte was also considering his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to head the Department of Foreign Affairs after the one year ban for losing candidates. Cayetano has been trailing behind other vice presidential bets Leni Robredo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. based on partial, unofficial count of the election watchdog.

The incoming president said that Leoncio Evasco, his chief of staff and former member of the leftist New People’s Army, would stay beside him. But he did not mention yet the position he would give to Evasco, incumbent mayor of Maribojoc town in central province of Bohol.

Duterte said that former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. would also be part of the Cabinet. Esperon also served the Arroyo government as head of the Presidential Management Staff Office.

Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Aquino administration is prepared for the smooth transition of the government.

“We are ready to cooperate and to work with the incoming administration,” he told reporters on Tuesday after administration presidential bet Manuel Roxas II acknowledged his defeat.

President Benigno S. Aquino III’s six-year term will end on noon of June 30

Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential bet Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. topped the local absentee voting (LAV) wherein some government personnel and members of the media have voted, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday.

According to Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, the Davao City local chief executive got a total of 10,283 votes, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, with 4,375; Senator Grace Poe, 1,628; administration bet Mar Roxas, 1,419; Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and the late Roy Seneres, 2.Marcos is likewise way ahead of his contenders with 11,683 votes, followed by Rep. Leni Robredo, 2,341; Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, 2,134; Senator Antonio Trillanes, 1,588; Senator Chiz Escudero, 944; and Senator Gregorio Honasan, 314.

However, the head of the Comelec – Committee on Local Absentee Voting (CLAV) noted that the numbers are unofficial tally as they are yet to be canvassed.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday the Philippine Senate will work with “presumptive president” Rodrigo Duterte in the next 17th Congress.

”He has the mandate of the people, we will work with him,” Drilon said in a media interview after receiving the first certificate of canvass (COC) from San Juan City at the Philippine Senate.

Drilon, vice chairman of the Liberal Party (LP) whose standard-bearer Mar Roxas conceded to Duterte on Tuesday, said they are eagerly awaiting the legislative agenda of the successor of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

”During the campaign, we were not benefited with any indication of what the legislative agenda will be, so we eagerly await his legislative agenda,” Drilon said.

The Senate leader is expecting that the first agenda that the Duterte administration will submit to Congress is the proposed 2017 national budget.

He said the transition team “must be working at this point so that the budget can be submitted on time.”

”Certainly the inputs of the incoming administration will be respected and we will expect the budget to contain the policy direction of the administration of Mayor Duterte,” he added.

Drilon strongly suggested that a transition team from the Duterte administration will be already formed and start talking to the transition team of the Aquino administration “so that there will be a smooth transfer of power on June 30.”

Drilon said the current 16th Congress will resume session on May 23 and will tackle in the first two days the remaining bills and about five bicameral conference committee reports. The 16th Congress will adjourn sine die on June 10.

”There are a number of local bills and franchise bills which we will pass on third reading, which came from the House. There are also a number of local and franchise bills which were amended by the Senate and are now in the House, and the House will adopt the Senate version,” Drilon said.

On May 25, Drilon said the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene as the national board of canvassers (NBOC) to proclaim the next President and Vice President of the country.

Drilon, who is on top of the senatorial race based on partial and unofficial results, said he looks forward working with the new senators.

”I have been in the Senate for 18 years, I think I know the institution. We will continue to protect the institution, protect the independence of the institution. I think that’s our duty,” the veteran lawmaker from Iloilo said.

Drilon said the incumbent Senate leaders, including him, will continue to function “as such until the elections take place” at the opening of the 17th Congress.

Based on the partial and unofficial results, six LP senatorial candidates –- Joel Villanueva, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Drilon — are already in the top 12 of the senatorial election. (PNA)