Senators welcome Puno’s offer of resignation

At least four senators on Wednesday welcomed Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno's statement that he will tender his courtesy resignation after President Benigno Aquino III returns from the United States. Senator Franklin Drilon said in an interview that Puno’s resignation offer was "a welcome development … because the President is certainly burdened" by the findings of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) and the jueteng expose of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz, which both implicate the Interior undersecretary. Drilon was pertaining to IIRC's recommendation that Puno be charged for his alleged mishandling of the August 23 hostage crisis and the recent accusations by the retired Lingayen-Dagupan prelate that the Interior official received payoffs from the illegal numbers game. "That should give President Aquino an opportunity to act decisively on this raging issue for the public," Drilon said. Senator Francis Escudero said that he sees it as an "act of delicadeza" on the part of Puno. "Kusa niyang inalok ang kanyang pagbibitiw para hindi na mahirapan at mabigatan pa ang Pangulo (He voluntarily offered his resignation so that the President would not be burdened anymore)," he said. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile was more blunt, however, saying that resignation is the "the only thing left for him (Puno)." "I’m not saying that the accusation is true. But if he’s in that position, and considering his closeness to the President, then the least that he must do is to tender his resignation," he said. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, for his part, suggested that Puno give an irrevocable resignation instead of a courtesy resignation. "I suggest that he give an irrevocable resignation. Kasi strike two na siya eh. Mahihirapan nang ibalik ang kanyang kredibilidad sa harap ng publiko," he said. (That’s because he’s already on Strike 2. He’ll have a hard time restoring his credibility in the eyes of the public.) Zubiri said maybe the President can find Puno a "better" portfolio in government that's not as controversial, like the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Puno had announced earlier on Wednesday at a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City that he will tender his courtesy resignation when Aquino returns from his US trip on September 28. (See: DILG's Puno to resign when Aquino arrives home from US)—Kimberly Jane T. Tan/JV, GMANews.TV