MANILA, Philippines?He didn?t want to leave too soon, but Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has been moved to what Malacańang claimed was a ?less strenuous? job, just the same.
Gonzalez, one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s most loyal defenders, was appointed as the new chief presidential legal counsel, replacing Jesus Dureza, effective June 4, Lorelei Fajardo, deputy presidential spokesperson, said Monday.
Taking Gonzalez?s place in an acting capacity was Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, according to Fajardo.
Gonzalez said he would have wanted to stay on ?for a few more months? if only to handle the resurrected case involving the 2000 murders of Salvador ?Bubby? Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.
?I was the one who developed this case and I have the confidence of the two key witnesses,? he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, referring to former police officers Cezar Mancao and Glenn Dumlao.
Gonzalez said he was wary that Mancao and Dumlao might not be comfortable with his replacement.
?But we are workers, so we will follow orders,? he said of his new assignment.
Devanadera, whose appointment took effect Monday, will serve concurrently as justice secretary and the government?s chief lawyer until another solicitor general had been appointed, Fajardo said.
Dureza, a former press secretary and presidential peace adviser, would later be moved to a new job related to Mindanao affairs, she said.
Post not discussed with Arroyo
In appointing Gonzalez as her chief legal adviser, Ms Arroyo granted his wish to have a ?less strenuous? work within her Cabinet, Fajardo said.
?Secretary Gonzalez himself requested for a less strenuous work because of the condition of his [sick] child,? she said in a media briefing.
Fajardo said Gonzalez was planning to take his 38-year-old son to Lourdes, France, a Christian pilgrim town reputed for Marian apparitions and miraculous healing.
Fajardo added that Gonzalez had also signified his intention to run for mayor in his home province Iloilo.
She said he had told Ms Arroyo about his plans shortly before the President went on a weeklong trip to South Korea and Russia.
But Gonzalez told the Inquirer that he had never talked with Ms Arroyo about his political plans and new appointment.
?I don?t want to lobby for myself,? he said, noting that he would not be staying in his new position for long because he would be filing his certificate of candidacy by Nov. 30.
Most qualified replacement
Fajardo said Devandera was the ?most qualified? to replace Gonzalez as head of the Department of Justice (DoJ).
A graduate of Ateneo Law School in 1976 and admitted to the Philippine Bar the following year, Devanadera served as acting justice secretary from Sept. 3 to Nov. 15, 2007.
She has been the solicitor general since March 2, 2007. Devanadera had also served at the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, Department of Interior and Local Government and the Local Government Academy.
Gonzalez said Devanadera?s new assignment would have ?implications? in case she would later be considered as a nominee to the Supreme Court. As justice secretary, she would sit with the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which would screen nominees.
?If she sits here and her name comes up at JBC, there will be incompatibility because she will end up sitting at the JBC and deciding on herself,? he said.
The JBC has given Devanadera two weeks to clear her name before it votes on a short list of nominees to the Supreme Court for submission to the President.
The Ombudsman claims that Devanadera has 17 pending cases, but actually has only two pending investigation, Gonzalez said.
One involves plunder filed by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson. He said Singson had dropped the case, but the Ombudsman was still asking Devanadera to respond to it.
Departure long overdue
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casino said Gonzalez?s departure was long overdue.
?I hope that his replacement will take to heart the Supreme Court admonition for the DoJ not to be prostituted for partisan political ends,? he said.
Parańaque Rep. Roilo Golez praised the choice of Devanadera as new DoJ chief, saying she is hard-working, tough minded, has a sharp, good grasp of the law and a good touch for the people since she used to be mayor.
Golez and Devanadera worked together when he was the national security adviser. With reports from Norman Bordadora and Leila B. Salaverria
