Duterte open to giving Cabinet post to JV Ejercito

President Rodrigo Duterte is open to giving a Cabinet position to Senator JV Ejercito who lost his reelection bid despite the chief executive's endorsement.

Duterte issued the remark in an event before the Filipino community in Tokyo on Thursday, which was attended by Ejercito.

"Nanghinayang ako kay JV. But anyway he's still young. Cabinet naman diyan kung may bakante," the President said, moments after he acknowledged Ejercito's presence.

Ejercito said in an ANC interview last week that he would not turn down an offer to serve in the Duterte Cabinet even as he is still smarting from his election loss. Under the Constitution, defeated candidates may only take government posts one year after the polls.

Ejercito and his brother, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, failed to clinch any of the 12 Senate seats that were up for grabs in the May 13 midterm elections.

The senator placed 13th with 14,313,727 votes while Estrada had 11,359,305 votes. — BAP, GMA News