Enrile: Lacson, Binay would make good DILG secretaries

As far as Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is concerned, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Vice President Jejomar Binay would both make good secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

 

Asked by reporters regarding who would make the best replacement for the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo among Binay, Lacson, Rep. Jun Abaya, and Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, Enrile said the first two officials were best suited for the post.

 

Lacson is a known ally of President Benigno Aquino III while Mar and Abaya are members of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

 

"I do not know [Rep.] Abaya very well, but I know Senator Lacson quite well enough. I think if they will tap Senator Lacson to head that department, he will do very well because he is trained as a law enforcement person and the police organization is under that department," he said.

 

A Philippine Military Academy graduate (1971), Lacson served as chief of the Philippine National Police from November 1999 to January 2001.  

 

In terms of the "political content" of the post, Enrile said Lacson is "familiar with the breadth of the responsibility" because he has been exposed to national politics and the local leaders of the country. 

 

"He has gone all over the country. He was a member of the Cabinet. He has been a senator for many, many terms so therefore, he is familiar with the laws and conditions of this country, as well as the political nuances involved in administering that department," he said.

 

Lacson was first elected as a senator in 2001 and to another term in 2007. His second term will end next year.

 

In June, Lacson said he would defer from issuing a comment regarding any appointment until Aquino has talked to him. He also said it wasn't right to talk about it since the position hadn't been vacant before.

 

But last year, Lacson said he will not refuse if Aquino offers him a Cabinet position at the end of his term.

 

Binay, Salceda effective, too

 

But aside from Lacson, Enrile said Binay would also be "well suited" for the post.

 

"I don’t know whether the Vice President is interested to handle that position [but] I think the Vice President will be well suited for the job because he has been the head of the premier city of the country for a long time, so he knows the problems of both governments," he said.

 

Binay was first elected Makati mayor in 1988 and went on to serve until 1995. In 1998, he was named chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) by President Joseph Estrada.

 

From 1998 to 2001, his wife Elenita served as mayor of the city. In 2001, Binay was again elected as mayor and went on to win two more terms during the 2004 and 2007 elections.  

 

Two years ago, Binay said that if he were to be offered a Cabinet position, he would like to head the DILG.

 

And despite his responsibilities as the vice president, Enrile said he thinks Binay would still be able to handle the DILG portfolio.

 

"Ang work niya as vice president is made easier because of his membership in the Cabinet. He is holding a Cabinet position which requires administrative function. Kung vice president ka lang, ang ginagawa mo lang you travel around the country, kagaya ni President Diosdado Macapagal, before he became President," he said.   Enrile and Binay are political allies. Both are stalwarts of the United Nationalist Alliance, a coalition between PDP-Laban and the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.  

 

As for Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, whose name is also being floated as a possible replacement for Robredo, Enrile said he is also capable of handling the job. Salceda is LP secretary general.

 

"Lahat yan, kaya, dahil may experience sila sa local administration. Alam nila na halos common yung mga problema ng local governments," he said. 'Best material'

 

Enrile, however, said it is still up to the President to select the "best material" for the job.

 

"Not only the best material, but the trust and confidence of the appointing power on the person to be appointed because the one who will be appointed will be the alter-ego of the President. He is the embodiment and personification of the President in that department," he said.

 

LP stalwart Sen. Franklin Drilon, for his part, said he does not think that the President has made any decision yet because they are still "grieving" over the death of Robredo.

 

"[But] I believe that the vacancy should immediately be filled and the President shoud be able to make his decision in the next two weeks ideally," he said.

 

"You cannot allow the department to run by remote control by the executive secretary especially this involves the PNP whose peace and order is the mandate," he added. — RSJ, GMA News