Aquino admits ‘differences in style’ with Robredo

(Updated 9:22 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday admitted that “differences in style" prompted him to appoint former Naga City mayor Jesse Robredo to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) only in an acting capacity. Without elaborating, Aquino in an ambush interview said the differences came into the open during the campaign period, making him doubt if they could have a harmonious working relationship. “There are various [reasons] why he is acting [capacity] . . . in the case of Jesse, we had some differences during the campaign, in style. We have to make sure that we can really work with each other," Aquino said. However, he said there is a possibility that he would keep Robredo as DILG chief, depending on the outcome of an evaluation. “May (there is an) evaluation period. Siguro mabilis naman na-check yung working style (The working style could be checked) after two months." Asked if he is likely to keep Robredo, Aquino said, “Yes."
Robredo, as well as Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, weren’t included in list of Cabinet appointees that Malacañang will submit to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for confirmation. Aquino said it would be unfair for Robredo to undergo a CA grilling when it is not guaranteed that they will have a healthy working relationship in the future. “It does no good to get him (Robredo) through the process of the CA only at the end of the day, to find out that there might be difficulties in our working style, amongst other things, our core philosophy, so we did agree na acting muna," he said. No bearing Aquino said his decision not to include Robredo on the list has nothing to do with the August 23 hostage tragedy in Manila, an incident largely blamed on police inefficiency. The DILG has direct supervision over the Philippine National Police (PNP). “I think that has no bearing at this point in time," Aquino said. In the case of Paje, Aquino admitted that they are considering “two other people" for the position of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary. He did not name them, but Palace insiders said one of them could be defeated senatorial bet Nereus Acosta, who was known as an environmental advocate during his stint as Bukidnon congressman. Acosta, who ran under Aquino’s Liberal Party in the May 10 elections, is covered by the one-year appointment ban for defeated candidates. “We had two other people in mind who were available for the DENR post. So Secretary Paje is aware that one year is a significant amount of time, depending on performance. We may need to reevaluate the need to get somebody else," Aquino said. Baldoz hesitant Baldoz, meanwhile, was “hesitant" to take the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) portfolio, Aquino said, adding that he only convinced her to take up the position. “Secretary Baldoz was very hesitant to take the position. She would have preferred one of the agencies attached. I prevailed upon her and she has really been performing so well," the President said. Prior to her appointment as DOLE chief, Baldoz was the administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), an attached agency under DOLE. Not a good practice Meanwhile, a member of the CA scored Aquino for appointing Cabinet secretaries on an acting capacity, saying such is not a good practice. Senator Serge Osmeña III noted that acting secretaries, like Robredo, are out of the reach of the CA. “He can be there for six years and still be acting. This is a way of going around the law, we hope it's not practiced too often," said Osmeña, a member of the 12-member Senate contingent to the CA. He added that the President can always remove an appointee if he wants to. “He can fire him next week and nobody will question his power to do so. Why the designation of acting? Your guess is as good as mine," he said. However, at least three other CA members said that appointing Robredo as acting DILG secretary is the prerogative of Aquino and should be respected. “That's the prerogative of the President, why he does it we do not know," said Senator Franklin Drilon in a separate interview on Tuesday. Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, for his part, said Aquino's move just shows tentativeness or caution on his part as a new head of the state. He added that maybe the President is just waiting for his real choice for the post. On the other hand, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said that the practice of appointing acting secretaries at the onset of a presidency is not unusual. "President Marcos did the same thing for some Cabinet positions in our time," he said. Enrile said he himself had served as acting Customs commissioner for more than two years and acting Finance secretary. “Sometimes, I was holding three, four, five hats at any given time when I was in the Finance Department. So, you exercise the powers of the office no different from the one who is appointed to the position and confirmed by the CA," he said. - with Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK/JV/HS, GMANews.TV