MANILA, Philippines - Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda shrugged off Sen. Francis Escudero’s call for him to resign from the Cabinet, saying only President Aquino can ask him to do so.
“In my view as a law student and it is elementary in basic constitutional law… that is something I believe that Senator Escudero is very well aware of. The nature of Cabinet positions is that they are political offices and that has been resolved even then,” Lacierda said.
He also cited a Supreme Court ruling – the 56-year-old jurisprudence Santos versus Yatco – which upheld the duty of Cabinet secretaries as alter egos of the president.
Lacierda added he serves at the pleasure of President Aquino.
Escudero, who has declared his decision to run for vice president in the May 2016 polls, advised Lacierda not to dip his fingers into politics.
“Would you consider your commenting or comparing of bagong umaga and daang matuwid as politicking?” he asked, referring to Lacierda’s comments on his and Sen. Grace Poe’s campaign slogan to that of Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas.
Lacierda said he was just doing his job, even as he reminded Escudero that he also used to be a spokesman for the late action star Fernando Poe Jr. when the latter ran for president in 2004.
“I play my role as a spokesperson and I speak on all issues and whatever questions are posed to me, we answer to the best of our knowledge. So, it’s not about me. It’s a campaign. There are eight months to discuss about the campaign,” he said.
“There will be issues that they will have to answer and that is that. And thank you for giving me the attention, but I truly do not deserve the personal attention given to me by Senator Escudero,” he said.
“It is not remote for me to also voice out the same attention, the same endorsement given by the President to Secretary Mar Roxas,” he added.