Palace: Reshuffling of Cabinet members is GMA’s sole prerogative

Making changes in the Cabinet is a presidential prerogative and those affected would just have to accept or decline their new positions, Malacañang officials said yesterday following criticism over recent appointments.

Reports came out that former agriculture secretary Domingo Panganiban was wary of becoming head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

Critics said Panganiban’s background makes him also more fit to be an agriculture secretary compared to Arthur Yap, a lawyer.

Yap will return to the agriculture department as secretary from being chief of the Presidential Management Staff. Government Mass Media Group head and NAPC head Cerge Remonde will take Yap’s place.

Some officials affected by the reshuffle also said they did not have any prior notification that they would be replaced.

"The President is re-appointing Yap as agriculture secretary because she believes in his ability. He only resigned before because of the tax evasion charges against him (and his father). Now, he was cleared of this particular charge," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Ermita described Yap as one of the most hardworking officials and one of those "closest" to Mrs. Arroyo, who even named him PMS chief after he resigned from the agriculture department. Yap was also Mrs. Arroyo’s former student at the Ateneo de Manila University.

"We should always remember that President Arroyo as president has the authority in accordance with the law and Constitution to choose the people who should help her run this government," Ermita said over radio station dzMM.

Ermita added Yap may be appointed to any government post because of background as a lawyer.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the appointment of various officials, especially members of the Cabinet, "is the sole prerogative of the President."

"We did not personally hear the reaction of Secretary Panganiban but whatever it is, we respect his stand. We know that any responsibility, in any Cabinet position, is a matter of trust and confidence," Bunye said.

He said it would be up to the appointees to determine whether their new positions would give them the opportunity to help in government. "In the end, maybe Secretary Panganiban would just really have to think over the new position being offered him," Bunye said.

Panganiban told a radio interview that "it would be difficult for me to accept a job that I know nothing about."

"Instead of being of help, I may turn out to be a liability," he said.

But Ermita said Panganiban would not be brought to the NAPC if the President did not believe in him.

The NAPC is a very important agency, he said, because of the government’s focus on fighting poverty.

"The reshuffle is being done periodically to enhance the performance of the Cabinet members," Ermita said.

He also clarified that former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairperson Elena Bautista was not demoted.

"She was promoted as undersecretary at the Department of Transportation and Communications. If I’m not mistaken, she will become undersecretary for maritime affairs or maritime transportation. So she’s being tapped to help the administration is some other aspects such as the improvement of the maritime industry," Ermita said.

Bautista was replaced by former police director Thompson Lantion as LTFRB chairman.

Ermita said Bautista’s performance and accomplishments should serve as a challenge to Lantion.

In a related development, Ermita said there was no final decision yet for retired Armed Forces chief of staff Generoso Senga.

Reports said there were proposals to appoint him chairman of government-run television station, National Broadcasting Network.

Both Ermita and Vice President Noli de Castro, who was doing the interview over radio station dzMM, frowned on the idea.

"General Senga is four-star general. I am not saying that Channel 4 is not important but I can’t understand why General Senga will be placed in Channel 4," Ermita said.

"I am not saying he is not qualified, of course all those who have experience in running an organization like the Armed Forces are qualified but it is quite extraordinary to hear a former chief of staff being given the job in communications," he said.

Ermita said other retired military and police officials were given jobs in line with their expertise or professional background.

He added he could not see why Sen. Rodolfo Biazon would describe the post at NBN as "juicy" and a reward for retired police and military officials for keeping quiet on the alleged cheating committed by Mrs. Arroyo in the 2004 presidential election.

"I don’t know what juicy post he is thinking. That’s hardly a juicy post considering that it’s not necessarily, totally, similar to the background of a chief of staff," Ermita said.

Ermita said contrary to the claim of Biazon, Senga was never involved in the electoral fraud allegations hounding Mrs. Arroyo.