Duterte: Gibo Teodoro, Peter Laurel decline Cabinet posts

Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte late Saturday night announced that former Defense chief Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. and Lyceum of the Philippines official Peter Laurel have declined his offer to join his Cabinet.

Duterte told reporters at the After Dark bar in Davao City that Teodoro has "begged off" from the position of Department of National Defense (DND) secretary.

Teodoro was DND secretary during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He ran for president in 2010, but lost to his cousin, outgoing President Benigno Aquino III.

The incoming president did not disclose Teodoro's reasons, but said that he is thinking of appointing a retired military man to the position.

"I have in mind a military man, retired... I will not divulge his name right now. I have to talk to him," he said.

Duterte said his friend, former Batangas vice-governor and current president of the Lyceum of the Philippines Batangas and Laguna, has also declined his offer to be secretary of the Department of Education.

Laurel is a son of former senator Sotero Laurel and grandson of former President Jose P. Laurel.

Duterte said he has yet to choose a replacement for Laurel.

During the interview, the incoming president also disclosed that he has yet to decide on who to appoint to the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Science and Technology and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He is also not yet decided on who to appoint as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

The position of chief negotiator with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) remains vacant, he added.

Former 1BAP partylist representative Silvestre Bello III, who he initially named as chief negotiator with the CPP, will be appointed as secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Duterte had said that he was willing to appoint communist leaders to at least four departments, including DOLE.

Duterte also said that he is appointing as Secretary to the Cabinet his campaign manager, former Bohol mayor Leoncio "Jun" Evasco.

He said he will appoint Ernesto Pernia of the University of the Philippines School of Economics to the National Economic and Development Authority.

Former Armed Forces chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon, who was seen early on with Duterte at the Matina Enclaves after the elections, is being appointed as National Security Adviser.

Duterte also said that he will appoint Joint Task Group-Basilan chief Col. Rolando Bautista as head of the Presidential Security Group.

During the interview, the incoming president defended his choices for the Department of Public Works and Highway and the Department of Energy.

He said he has asked reelected Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar to come up with an illustration of the properties of his family's companies.

He added that former airport manager Alfonso Cusi, who has been named as possible energy secretary, is an "organization man" and considered an experienced public servant as "he has had many positions in government."

Duterte clarified that all of his would-be appointees are all his own choices and not endorsed by some quarters.

"I've never talked to anybody... They (appointees) were floating in my mind during the campaign period," he said. —ALG, GMA News