Presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano arrive at the Makati Business Club forum on Wednesday. The recent survey conducted on April 16-20 shows Duterte gaining bigger lead over Sen. Grace Poe.
Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, May 31 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Tuesday said president-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s preference for Cabinet members should be respected even if it does not include vice president-elect Leni Robredo.
“Karapatan ni president-elect Duterte na piliin and mga bubuo ng kanyang Gabinete at igalang natin ang pasya niya, kabilang na hinggil kay VP-elect Robredo,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a text message to media.
(It is president-elect Duterte’s right to choose who will compose his Cabinet and we should respect his decision, even that pertaining to VP-elect Robredo.)
After the elections, the Robredo camp thanked Duterte for saying that he will give the Camarines Sur representative a Cabinet post if she wins.
This was affirmed by Duterte’s running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who said the tough-talking mayor has long been considering what position to give the winning vice presidential candidate.
However, Duterte later gave conflicting statements. He once said that giving Robredo a Cabinet position “never entered his mind.” He said he needed to figure out his selection from within his own party first, adding that he did not even know her.
Duterte said the earlier pronouncements did not refer to a job but an “opening of an opportunity.”
For her part, Robredo said Duterte has no obligation to appoint her and that she would work hard even if without a Cabinet position. (MNS)