Palace sees no leadership vacuum over Cabinet members leaving post for Eleksyon 2022 bid

Malacañang on Thursday assured the public that government operations will remain functional even if a number of Cabinet members are expected to leave to  for run for an elective post in the 2022 elections.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the assurance a day before the filing of candidacy which will run from October 1 to 8.

The PDP-Laban faction, led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and where President Rodrigo Duterte, belongs earlier announced that its Senate bets for the 2022 elections include: Roque, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, Public Works and Highways Mark Villar, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson Greco Belgica.

Of these names, only Villar made it to winners’ circle or top 12 based on the September Pulse Asia poll with a 36.2% rating, ranking 9th to 10th.

“I have no information if they are resigning but once they file their candidacy, they are already deemed resigned,”  Roque said.

“There will be no leadership vacuum because agencies will have officers-in-charge. That is why each agency has undersecretaries and assistant secretaries,” Roque added.

Likewise, Roque could not say if he is pursuing a Senate bid in 2022.

“Let us wait for October 8 [which is the last day of filing of candidacy],” Roque, who ranked 29th to 33rd in the same Pulse Asia poll, said.—AOL, GMA News