Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol may be transferred to head the Mindanao Development Authority not because of any involvement in corruption in his present department, President Duterte clarified Thursday.
Amid plans to assign Piñol to be the national government’s intermediary to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the President asserted that Piñol is “not corrupt” although the former North Cotabato governor is “talkative.”
“I want him to focus kasi taga-Mindanao, walang ibang makita ko na perfect for the job – it’s Manny. Now if you are asking about corruption, no, he is not corrupt,” Duterte told reporters in Malacañang. “It is not corruption. He is not corrupt. He’s just talkative,” the President added.
Piñol earlier requested to be relieved from post as Agriculture Secretary and be reassigned to another agency, including MinDA.
He sent a courtesy resignation letter to the President Thursday that also indicated his continued support and loyalty to the President and the administration, according to Senator-elect Christopher Go, who noted that Piñol offered to relinquish his post after some Cabinet members blamed him for the rice shortage in the country last year.
Piñol has recommended three DA Undersecretaries, Waldo Carpio, Ariel Cayanan, and Francisco Vilano, as possible contenders to head the department. If Duterte approves his request, Piñol said he would be ready to assume a new post by Aug. 1.
The President later said he was considering Piñol to head MinDa to coordinate the government’s efforts with the Bangsamoro caretaker government in hastening the socioeconomic development to the new autonomous region.
Duterte has expressed concern over the delays in the development of the Bangsamoro region even after the transition authority has been organized.
“I cannot see anybody in the horizon except Piñol who knows and grew up, born in Mindanao. He’s a farmer and governor, so sabi ko kailangan ko ng timon and that MinDA position is a Cabinet position,” he said. “Sabi ko pumunta ka na lang doon tulungan mo na lang ako. Get them started, hurry up, hurry them up, so that they will have a first regular organized government that they have long wished for,” he added.
Meanwhile, Piñol still holds the top position at the Department of Agriculture and remains in charge of taking care of the struggling farm sector but is now on a standby mode on the next big position Duterte would give him after his resignation.
Piñol asked to be relieved from his post Thursday, a not so very ordinary day for DA employees as it was the agency’s 121st founding anniversary celebration and for the first time, their leader decided to give a token of appreciation – with a significant monetary value – to employees who have been working with the agency for a certain period of time.
“We were so happy,” a DA employee said. “I have worked here for 30 years and it was my first time to receive a ring as a loyalty award.”
The ring, which was given to employees as a loyalty award, is said to cost at least R15,000 each. The loyalty award used to be just a plaque and certificate, the employee said.
DA-Field Programs Operational Planning Division chief Christopher Morales, one of the loyalty awardees at DA this year with 20 years experience, said he was upset about Piñol’s decision to quit especially since he has already successfully laid the groundwork for the agency’s top priorities and programs.
Philmaize Federation Inc. president Roger Navarro said Piñol has been helpful to the corn industry from production support to financial assistance. “He has deep understanding in the farmers’ plight and truly displayed the passion and leadership in the Agriculture department,” Navarro said.
Before filing his resignation, Piñol expressed appreciation to the personnel of the DA, stressing that despite criticisms against DA’s alleged underperformance, employees have continuously performed well. “I am proud of you my dear DA employees, but it’s a long way to go and so I encourage you to be loyal to the department,” Piñol said. (Genalyn Kabiling and Madeleine Miraflor)