Enrile, Guevarra, Faustino to join Marcos Cabinet

MANILA, Philippines (Update 2 12:11 p.m.) — Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile will be the presidential legal counsel of incoming chief executive Ferdinand Marcos Jr., while outgoing Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra will be his solicitor general and former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. his officer-in-charge for the Department of National Defense.

Enrile, 98, once a key figure in the downfall of the Marcoses during the popular military-backed uprising in 1986 called People Power, has turned into a staunch supporter of the family and vowed to “devote [his] time and knowledge for the republic and for the [incoming president,]” according to incoming press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

Enrile is facing plunder charges and is currently out on bail due to humanitarian reasons.

FROM INTERAKSYON: Juan Ponce Enrile: The Marcos protégé turned EDSA hero turned Marcos apologist

Guevarra wanted OSG post

The 68-year-old Guevarra, meanwhile, is the first Cabinet official of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte to get another plum post in government.

Photo 1: Marcos, Jr. and incoming ES Vic Rodriguez with Retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Jose Faustino Jr.
Photo 2: Marcos, Jr., Rodriguez with Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
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— Kristine Patag (@kristinepatag) June 17, 2022

Reacting to his nomination, Guevarra said he thinks he is better suited as a solicitor general as he noted his law firm practice for 25 years, whereas being justice secretary required a lot of administrative work.

“Ten years ago, I was offered both the SOJ and OSG positions. Maybe the time wasn’t ripe then. now everything’s coming back to me. It’s the hand of God at work. Ecclesiastes,” he said.

As solicitor general, one of his tasks is to serve as legal counsel for the Presidential Commission on Good Government that runs after the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.

It would not be the first time that Guevarra would go against the sitting president. The outgoing justice chief admitted in a press briefing last Wednesday that sometimes his actions were “not consistent” with Duterte, especially on the “war on drugs,” which his department reviewed for potential lapses and abuses.

Guevarra said he prevailed over Duterte, as the outgoing chief executive “agreed with the view that the war on illegal drugs was not perfect, there were deficiencies and abuses in its conduct.”

Lorenzana welcomes successor

On the other hand, Faustino, 56, would temporarily be senior undersecretary of the DND as the incoming administration awaits the lifting of the one-year ban on the appointment of retired military officers. Faustino retired on November 12 last year. 

Outgoing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomed Faustino’s selection, saying he will “hit the ground running.”

“I am confident that with his years of dedicated service as a military officer, Gen. Faustino will continue the Department's momentum in our internal security and external defense operations, as well as the modernization of the armed forces and the entire defense organization,” Lorenzana said. — Xave Gregorio with a report from Kristine Joy Patag