Noynoy eyes Naga City mayor for DILG post

President-elect Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III on Tuesday said he is considering Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo to head the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) — a position being sought by Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay. In an interview with reporters in his Times Street home in Quezon City, Aquino said the DILG portfolio is one of the two government positions he is considering for Robredo, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Good Governance in 2000. “He is very qualified to handle so many portfolios," said Aquino of Robredo. “He is a multi-awarded local executive. He has advocacies like settling the informal settler problem. In Naga they dont talk of theories, they talk of actual accomplishments." Robredo, in a separate interview, said he would accept whatever government post Aquino assigns him to. “He can assign me to where he believes I can perform best," he said. Aquino, however, admitted that Robredo — as well as Binay, the outgoing mayor of Makati City — are just among the five choices he has for the DILG post. But this early, he has already expressed apprehension about giving the position to Binay. “With everything in our administration, there will be a carrot side and a stick side. He [Binay] is a politician who obviously will be aiming for another office down the line. When he starts implementing the stick [side], will that hamper his political plans?" Aquino said. Aquino said he and Binay would discuss the matter in a meeting soon. “I would rather discuss with him first [the] possible slots in the Cabinet before announcing anything," he said. Binay was the running-mate of former President Joseph Estrada under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) banner in the recently concluded elections. Estrada ranked second to Aquino during the canvassing. Aquino has so far confirmed four appointments to his official family: Corazon "Dinky" Soliman as Social Welfare secretary, Teresita Deles as presidential adviser on the peace process, Edwin Lacierda as presidential spokesman, and Jojo Ochoa Jr. as executive secretary. He said he would announce all the members of his Cabinet before his inauguration on June 30. - KBK, GMANews.TV