By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte has appointed former presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella as Department of Foreign Affairs undersecretary, ending and confirming a month-long rumor of his transfer.
Also getting a new position in a concurrent capacity is Abella’s successor Harry Roque, who was named presidential adviser on human rights.
Malacañang has released Abella’s appointment letter that was signed by Duterte on Oct. 27, the day the rumor of his transfer first surfaced.
Abella was Duterte’s spokesperson from his first day in office until it was reported that Duterte replaced Abella with Roque, a former party-list congressman, in late October.
Duterte was reportedly dissatisfied on how Abella handled the media, such as when the President said that the European Union was suggesting that the Philippines could be removed from the United Nations due to human rights violations. The President explained that replacing Abella with Roque was his personal decision.
Roque said that as presidential adviser on human rights, he hopes to advise Duterte directly regarding the issue since most alleged cases of human rights violations were committed at the height of the anti-drug campaign.