Two familiar faces are joining the Duterte Cabinet.
President Duterte has appointed Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano as the new Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary and designated Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año as the next Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary.
The President announced the two Cabinet appointments before departing Manila for six-day journey to Cambodia, Hong Kong, and China.
Duterte, in a pre-departure press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, said he signed the appointment paper of Cayetano before leaving Malacanang. “Dito sa DFA, I remember I signed an appointment just before I left my room, I saw the name of Sen. Cayetano,” he said.
Cayetano’s latest Cabinet portfolio comes after the one-year appointment ban on losing candidates expired. The senator, the defeated running mate of Duterte in the 2016 elections, often joins the President’s foreign travels and recently defended the country’s human rights record before a United Nations body.
By accepting the Cabinet post, Cayetano would have to vacate his Senate position. His term as senator will end on 2019.
The President also revealed that Año will lead the DILG when he retires from the military service this October.
Duterte summoned the Armed Forces chief during the press conference and said: “You are now facing the next DILG Secretary.”
He explained that he wanted a “military man” to efficiently deal with police scalawags after expressing dismay with their alleged involvement in drugs and other crimes. The DILG has control and supervision over the Philippine National Police.
“He is retiring. I think he is ready by May, June,” the President said, about Año, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983.
But when informed that Año would retire from the military this October, Duterte acknowledged that he must still see through the programs of the Armed Forces.
“I want him to complete because there are projects which he has to…No at this time. You cannot just pull out somebody from the Armed Forces especially those who are tasked of programming what will happen next,” he said.
At present, Undersecretary Catalino Cuy serves as officer in charge of the DILG since the President fired Secretary Mike Sueno last April.
Once his DILG appointment is finalized, Año will join the growing list of retired military and police officers with key positions in the Duterte administration. Retired Armed Forces chief Gen. Roy Cimatu was recently named Environment and Natural Resources Secretary, replacing Gina Lopez.
With Año and Cimatu now on his team, the President joked about the near formation of a “junta” in his government. He said in jest that if he picks another general for a government post, the junta will finally be completed.
The President lauded the competence and integrity of the new Environment and Natural Resources Secretary.
Duterte said he is “impressed with the industry” of Cimatu, recalling his work as special envoy for the Middle East.
He said Cimatu handled the repatriation of distressed overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East.
“We have been friends. There will never be a time I will you for any favor for anybody. All that I ask of you to be true to yourself, to be true to your country, and protect the environment,” he told Cimatu. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)