Bunye is concurrent spokesman, press secretary

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye is now the sole spokesman for President Arroyo.

Mrs. Arroyo named Bunye yesterday as presidential spokesman in a concurrent capacity to allow Rigoberto Tiglao, her chief of staff, to focus on implementing reforms in the administration’s last 18 months.

Since returning from a study leave in Japan last October, Tiglao has been acting as presidential spokesman and Mrs. Arroyo’s chief of staff in a concurrent capacity.

Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo asked him last Friday to serve as her press secretary and spokesman.

Tiglao said Mrs. Arroyo told him to focus on reforms that she wanted implemented within the year.

"The President has asked me to concentrate full time on my work as chief of staff," he said. "Secretary Bunye would be concurrently spokesman and press secretary."

Tiglao said he would no longer entertain media calls so he could focus on his job of "representing the President" in the implementation of her eight-point reform program.

Bunye and Tiglao refused to comment on reports that Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza would be named press secretary.

"Nothing definite at this time, as Secretary Tiglao said, we make the announcement only when there is an appointment, when there is an official act," Bunye said.

"Announcements will be made at a proper time when the decisions are made and... actual appointments are made," Tiglao said.

However, a Cabinet official close to Braganza said the secretary was offered the post of press secretary because he could implement programs as planned.

"(Braganza) was really offered the post because the President feels he is a good operator," the Cabinet official said.

"The President was really angry at the fact that while we have all the good programs, these were not being properly communicated to the public. So I think for love of country, (Braganza) would accept it," the Cabinet member said.

Meanwhile, Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen described yesterday as a "recycling" the Cabinet changes being implemented by Mrs. Arroyo.

"If she’s really sincere, she should change her entire Cabinet, which is composed largely of non-performing, so-called EDSA II players," he said. "The time for paying political debts should now be over."

Dilangalen, a staunch ally of ousted President Joseph Estrada, said the minor movements in the Cabinet have made people skeptical about Mrs. Arroyo’s sincerity in withdrawing from the 2004 presidential elections.

Dilangalen said Mrs. Arroyo is not running in 2004 because she could be positioning herself to become president or prime minister under a unicameral parliamentary system of government.

"There is even a sweetener, which is a three-year extension of her illegal term as president up to 2007 when the new system of government is to begin operating," he said.

Mrs. Arroyo’s partymates in Lakas want to install a parliamentary system in place of the present presidential form of government, he added.

GMA to name grafters soon

In the meantime, Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo would make a major announcement on graft cases "sometime" next week.

"The campaign against graft and corruption has always been part of the good governance program of the President," he said.

"As a matter of fact, there will be some announcements because cases have been filed and investigations have been conducted about certain alleged corrupt officials and decisions are forthcoming of these cases."

Bunye said the announcement would depend on the progress of the investigation on the graft cases which Mrs. Arroyo would like to disclose to the public.

"It depends on how soon they are fully completed," he said. "But this might be sometime next week."

Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo told the Cabinet last week she wants the government information machinery to focus not on political issues but on her eight-point reform program.

"Precisely, the President made her announcement she would like to stay away from politics," he said. "So in compliance with her wishes, we’re not entertaining any questions regarding politics." — Marichu Villanueva, Jess Diaz, AFP