Noynoy may retain some members of Arroyo's Cabinet

Leading presidential bet Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III may retain some members of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Cabinet in his prospective official family, one of the spokesmen of Aquino’s camp said. Liberal Party spokesman Rep. Lorenzo “Erin" Tañada III said this will depend on the search committee that Aquino formed to find new members for his prospective Cabinet. “We have to recognize even those who worked very well in the last administration, na walang bahid o walang issue ng corruption (those who are not linked to corruption). If they deserve to be a member, they will be retained," Tañada said in an interview on dwIZ radio. He did not name names, but said the search committee is now evaluating the backgrounds of prospective Cabinet members under the new administration. Tañada would only say former Civil Service Commission (CSC) head Karina David may be part of the search committee that would make recommendations to Aquino. On the other hand, he stressed Aquino will still have the final say on who will form his Cabinet. So far, Aquino has named Corazon Soliman who he said would likely be Social Welfare secretary. Soliman held the post under the Arroyo administration but quit in 2005 in the wake of the "Hello Garci" scandal that indicated poll fraud in the 2004 presidential elections. “It will be left to the people in the search committee upon the instructions of Sen. Noynoy kung ano ang guidelines. Lahat bago ba o may ire-retain na kaunti o luma, o mix? Bahala sa maging final instruction ni Sen. Noynoy dito (It will be left to the search committee under Sen. Aquino’s guidance. Will the Cabinet be overhauled, or will there be people from the past administration who will be retained? Aquino will have the final say)," Tañada said. Track record is 'bottom line' For her part, Soliman affirmed she would take the Social Welfare portfolio, but declined to name those being considered for other posts. Soliman also said it was not important what administration the Cabinet members served under, saying the bottom line should be their track records. "Di mahalaga kung saang administrasyon galing, ang importante ang naging track record nila (What matters is not the administration one served under but what his or her track record was)," she said in a separate interview on dwIZ. She also downplayed fears that those who helped Aquino in his campaign may exploit the Filipino value of "utang na loob" (debt of gratitude) to get plum posts in government. "Di yan mangyayari. Siya mismo nagsabi di yan pamantayan para ikaw ay pumasok at maglingkod sa pamahalaan (It will not happen. Aquino himself said the debt of gratitude is not a basis for entering government service)," she said. — LBG, GMANews.TV