Palace reiterates support for justice secretary

Malacañang remains confident of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez' ability to perform his role despite reported problems with his kidneys. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on Friday reiterated support for the controversial justice secretary following suggestions of a psychiatrist that Gonzalez' kidney problems may be contributing to his supposed "irrational behavior." “The Secretary of Justice has sufficient capability to do his job. We believe he can do his job," Bunye said. Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca Jr., a psychiatrist for 30 years and an official of leftist party-list group Bayan Muna, claimed that the 75-year-old cabinet secretary may be suffering from "uremic encephalopathy", wherein the failure of the kidney to discharge waste also affects the brain. Gonzalez earlier said he would agree to undergo a psychiatric test if the Batasan 5 members would take the same test with him.-GMANews.TV