Duterte government not being run by military junta—Malacañang

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Malacañang on Friday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to appoint retired military and police generals in the government, saying this did not translate to a military junta in the bureaucracy.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo criticized the statement of former National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Chair Liza Maza that the bureaucracy was being “militarized” by Mr. Duterte.

In a statement, Panelo said Maza’s views on the reorganization of the Cabinet were “misplaced, if not distorted.”

“We find it unfortunate that a former member of the Cabinet … has a misplaced, if not distorted, view of the reorganization and composition of the Cabinet,” he said.

“Her conclusion that placing former military men in executive offices automatically translates to a military junta-led government is completely erroneous,” he added.

Earlier, Maza took to Facebook to denounce the recently issued Executive Order No. 67, which renamed the Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS) to the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat.

Halloween ‘horror story’

Some agencies under the OCS were transferred to other departments, like the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which is led by former Armed Forces chief Eduardo Año, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, led by ex-Philippine Army chief Rolando Bautista.

Maza criticized the EO as a Halloween “horror story” as she noted that the NAPC was placed under the direct supervision of Bautista through the DSWD.

“No to militarization of civilian bureaucracy! No to military junta! No to martial law of whatever form!” she said.

But Panelo pointed out that the President’s decision to appoint people identified with the Left early on in his administration did not make the government a leftist one.

“Ms. Maza’s appointment to the government, including those identified or allied with the Left, did not make the Cabinet communist or convert the respective offices they headed leftist,” he said.

‘Trust in military’

Mr. Duterte’s preference for ex-military or police officials  “reflects his trust in the military hierarchy known for its high degree of professionalism, discipline, and can-do attitude,” Panelo said.

At a situation briefing on Typhoon “Rosita” (international name: Yutu) in Isabela on Thursday night, the President praised the role of the military and police in rescue operations, calling them the government’s “utility boys.”

He urged local officials to take care of soldiers and policemen. “You know, our utility boys in our civilization now is the military and police,” he said.

The President made the remarks a day after he said he was undertaking a militarization of the government by installing former generals to positions unrelated to national security.

Eight generals

Eight retired military and police generals currently serve in top government posts.

These are Delfin Lorenzana as defense secretary, Hermogenes Esperon as national security adviser, Rolando Bautista as social welfare secretary, Roy Cimatu as environment secretary, Eduardo Año as interior secretary, Eduardo del Rosario as housing secretary and Task Force Bangon Marawi chair, Rey Leonardo Guerrero as customs commissioner and Isidro Lapeña as director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Panelo said the former genrals’ “patriotic fervor, not to mention their academic credentials and experience in leading and managing large organizations, qualifies them for the posts that they hold.”