DILG's Puno takes medical leave; Ebdane is OIC

MANILA, Philippines - Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. will be the officer-in-charge of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the next few weeks, Malacañang announced Wednesday. "Secretary Ebdane will act as DILG secretary because Secretary Ronaldo Puno is on medical leave," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told reporters in a press briefing in Malacañang. Ermita said the directive came from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is undergoing self-quarantine at the Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa City. Ermita said Puno is expected to spend some weeks in the United States where he will undergo a medical checkup. The DILG chief is expected to be back July 12. Ermita belied speculations that Puno is quitting the DILG to concentrate on his plan to run for vice president in the 2010 elections. Puno announced his intention to seek the vice presidency on May 26. Ebdane, a former chief of the National Police, also served as National Security Adviser (2004-2005) and briefly as Defense chief in 2007. Meanwhile, Ermita said President Arroyo sounded well when they talked on the phone. He said the President had no visitors at the Asian Hospital where she is on self-quarantine after returning from trips to Japan, Brazil and Hong Kong. Ermita said the President is likely to be discharged Wednesday evening, or 24 hours after she checked into the hospital. - GMANews.TV