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ANNOUNCES NEW ‘APPOINTMENTS’

Duterte severing ties with Pastor Quiboloy?


President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night said that he is choosing country over friendship following statements by the camp of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy that the religious leader was disappointed for being eased out of the core group.

"Let me be very clear, my friendship with my friends ends when the interest of the country begins. I would as much as possible make you happy if you are my friend, but I will not allow anybody to color my decisions in government. From now on it is always the interest of the people of the Republic of the Philippines that counts, period," Duterte said during an interview at his favorite watering hole, the After Dark bar in Davao City.

"Lahat ng suporta sa akin, lahat ng tulong. That's my statement. I'm sorry," Duterte added.

Mike Abe, spokesperson of Quiboloy, said the religious leader is saddened that he is not part of the transition and selection teams that Duterte formed in preparation for his presidency.

Abe said that the pastor used to have a 24/7 access to Duterte through his executive assistant, Bong Go.

Quiboloy, who calls himself the "Appointed Son of God," was a long-time friend of Duterte.

He actively campaigned for the incoming president and even provided a private plane for Duterte during the campaigns.

Meanwhile, Duterte clarified that he did not consult and was not influenced by anyone in his decisions pertaining to the possible members of his Cabinet.

"Ako lang. I never consulted anybody... I do not consult anybody. Nakikinig ako sa kanila, but I decide. I do not take into consideration friendship," Duterte said.

He clarified that the selection committee was formed only to help him vet candidates for Cabinet positions.

He added that he started choosing people for his Cabinet during the campaign period.

New appointments

During the interview, Duterte announced that he is appointing former Justice secretary Silvestre "Bebot" Bello III to 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.

Bello was earlier named as chief government negotiator for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

The incoming president clarified he may have said that he is "a president that comes from the left," but he is not a communist.

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

He said he contemplated on appointing Evasco as secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), but decided against it because the former Bohol mayor was a rebel.

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.

Vacant positions, new departments

Meanwhile, the incoming president said he was still looking for a Defense secretary after Gilberto Teodoro turned down his offer.

He is also looking for a chief negotiator for the CPP, an Education secretary which he initially offered to his friend, Peter Laurel.

Duterte said he has not decided on who to appoint as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Duterte said he asked several personalities to join his Cabinet, but a lot of them declined because of the not so attractive pay in the government.

"The primary reason why they declined, because of the pay. Some are well-to-do, but the primary consideration is how much do I get to sacrifice," he told reporters.

Aside from the DILG, he said he has also yet to find people to head the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Budget Management and Department of Science and Technology.

He said he already has in mind someone for the Department of National Defense, a retired military man. He declined to name the official.

Meanwhile, Duterte said he is planning to establish an "independent department of overseas workers."

He said he also intends to establish a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. —ALG, GMA News

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