Sotto says Honasan departing Senate to become DICT Secretary

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III confirmed that Senator Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan II would be leaving the upper house to become Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary.

Speaking on a Metro Manila news radio dwIZ, Sotto said that Honasan would likely leave the Senate by December, first serving as ad interim DICT secretary pending approval of his nomination by the Commission on Appointments.

Sotto, however, also said that Honasan could "still function as a legislator" until he was confirmed and took his oath as secretary.

The Senate President also revealed that Honasan was earnestly preparing for his new appointment. "Ang alam ko panay ang research [niya ngayon]. Saka magaling mag-aral yun," explained Sotto.

President Rodrigo Duterte had meanwhile committed himself to Honasan's appointment. "Oo, nasabi na sa kanya yan," Sotto confirmed. "Dati, parang drinibol lang kasi. Baka kailangan pa namin ng kasama. Pero nitong huling pag-uusap, sabi ni Presidente, pirmahan ko na."

As to how Honasan's departure would affect voting in the Senate, Sotto said that the effect would be minimal.

"Wala naman [epekto], 22 [na senador] pa rin yun. Pero pagka boboto kailangan pa rin 16. Ang 2/3 vote ay 16," Sotto pointed out.

The DICT is presently headed by an acting secretary, Eliseo Rio Jr. DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima resigned on September 21, 2017.

Before resigning, Salalima had allegedly told DICT employees that he had had enough of the "corruption and interference" that plagued the department, and was thus leaving.

However, President Rodrigo Duterte refuted this, claiming that he had asked Salalima to resign for allegedly favoring a telecommunications company. —DVM/KG, GMA News