'Little President' Ochoa denies he's leaving post

Unless President Benigno Simeon Aquino III fires him, the "Little President," Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr. is not planning to leave his post anytime soon. In an interview with Palace reporters on Tuesday night, Ochoa fended off rumors that he about to leave his post because some members of Aquino's Liberal Party (LP) are reportedly unhappy with his performance. Ochoa said he received the text messages about the rumors, some from cell phone numbers unfamiliar to him and some from his friends who forwarded the messages to him. Ochoa, however, said he just dismisses them, adding that Aquino never brought up the issue with him. "You just have to ignore them. Those are unverified messages, you don't know where they're coming from," said Ochoa. Ochoa is the highest-ranking official of the Cabinet. Ochoa is also called the “Little President," as all executive secretaries are known. The usually camera-shy Ochoa said he does not allow himself to be bothered by negative, non-constructive comments on his work, particularly if his competence is questioned. Among Ochoa's critics is Senator Joker Arroyo, who has said the country seems to be being run by a student government. "I know myself," said Ochoa. "Saka di naman ako nagpepretend na super brilliant or super galing ako. In fact sinasabi ko to everybody, this administration needs help. Me, as executive secretary, needs help. Hindi naman kami nagsasabi na sakop namin lahat ng galing (We never said we know everything)." Asked whether Aquino ever commented on his performance, Ochoa said the President just sometimes tells him to speed up certain tasks. "Minsan kasi meron siyang minamadali, medyo natatagalan, sinasabi nya, baka naman pwedeng bilisan yan (Sometimes he wants something done immediately, [but] it takes a while to finish so he asks if we can speed it up)," said Ochoa. Ochoa explained that the occasional lag was caused by his office's adjustment to certain "systems and procedures." However, he said his office has already addressed this problem. Aquino said last week that he does not plan to revamp his Cabinet anytime soon as he is satisfied with most of their performances. Balay-Samar factions Ochoa said he does not want to speculate where the rumors about some LP members' supposed dissatisfaction with his performance came from. He brushed aside questions that the rumor may be related to the alleged Balay-Samar factions within the Aquino administration. During the campaign period, Liberal Party members who supported then-senator Mar Roxas's vice presidential bid comprised the Balay faction because their headquarters were in Balay in Cubao. Ochoa was considered part of the Samar faction, which allegedly supported the vice presidential bid of then Makati City Mayor and now Vice President Jejomar Binay. Their headquarters were in a mansion along Samar Avenue in Quezon City. Ochoa said the only rumor that truly bothered him was the one that claimed he was on a date with a showbiz personality. He said the false report deeply affected his family. Aquino and Ochoa Aquino and Ochoa go a long way back. Their fathers— martyred senator Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and former Pulilan Mayor Paquito Ochoa Sr.— were stalwarts of the Liberal Party (LP). Ochoa has acted as Noynoy's legal adviser ever since Aquino entered public service as Tarlac congressman in 1998. He also served as administrator of Quezon City, the most populated city in the country, for nine years. Ochoa's father, a former mayor of Pulilan, Bulacan, was also a friend of Aquino's father, the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. –VVP,GMANews.TV