Duterte says 6 leaving Cabinet to run in 2019 elections

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday night that at least six Cabinet members would run in the May elections next year and would have to be replaced.

Among them were Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Speaking to reporters, the President said the others included Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, political adviser Francis Tolentino, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones and Technical Education Skills and Development Authority head Guiling Mamondiong.

On Roque, the President said the spokesperson “said he will resign” so “I said go ahead.”

Representative

“Then I immediately chose a replacement but I cannot tell you now who,” the President said.

He said Cayetano would run for congressman in Taguig to replace his sister, Pia, who was running for senator.

The President said Roque would also run for senator.

Earlier, he told Roque to quit his senatorial ambition because he was not likely to win.

On replacing Cayetano, the President said he had already someone in mind who “agreed” to be appointed foreign secretary.

“But he did not authorize me to name him now,” the President said.