Saludo back in Palace as Arroyo's deputy spokesman

(UPDATED) Five months before she steps down from office, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed a fifth Palace spokesperson who also serves as secretary-general of a recently created commission that seeks to address the country's problems caused by natural calamities. Mrs. Arroyo appointed Ricardo Saludo as deputy presidential spokesperson, the same post he held in 2003. With Saludo's appointment, Mrs. Arroyo has now five Palace communicators. The other four are Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, deputy presidential spokespersons Gary Olivar, and Charito Planas, and newly appointed Press Secretary Crispulo "Jun" Icban, who replaced the late Cerge Remonde. President Arroyo’s other spokespersons, Lorelei Fajado quit her post last December to focus on working as presidential assistant for Central Luzon, while Anthony Golez decided to run as Bacolod City representative. According to Olivar, the President needed more spokespersons to defend her from the “concerted campaign of innuendos and criticisms from the organized opposition" and to explain the legacy and achievements of her administration. Saludo was appointed as secretary-general of the Public Reconstruction Commission in October last year after the Commission on Appointments rejected his appointment as chairman of the Civil Service Commission. Olivar denied that Mrs. Arroyo's appointment of Saludo as spokesperson was a political accommodation. He said the President had decided to tap Saludo’s service because he did not need to prepare that much to get back to his old job. “What happened is one of her (Arroyo's) most trusted and reliable spokespersons was called to a higher calling (referring to Remonde's death), even higher than the calling he left behind...this is why she has chosen to go to someone like Secretary Saludo to help with the workload," Olivar said, adding that Saludo would retain his job as secretary-general of the reconstruction body. - AIE BALAGTAS SEE/ARCS, GMANews.TV