Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — There would be no “leadership vacuum” should government officials vacate their posts to run for elective posts in the 2022 national elections, Malacañang assured Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made this assurance a day before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy from October 1 to October 8, 2021.
“Ang aking inuulit-ulit po, hindi po ibig sabihin na palibhasa mawawala ang sekretaryo, magkakaroon na po ng leadership vacuum kasi palagi po iyang mayroong OIC [officer-in-charge]. Kaya po mayroon tayong palaging Usec (undersecretaries) at mga ASec (assistant secretaries) sa iba’t ibang departamento,” Roque said in a press briefing.
(Let me repeat. Just because the secretaries will leave their post, it doesn’t mean there will be a leadership vacuum because we always have an OIC. That’s why we have Usec and ASec in various departments.)
However, Roque said he has yet to be informed of any Cabinet member who is resigning to file a certificate of candidacy.
“Wala pa po akong nababalitaang nagri-resign. Ang paghain naman po ng certificate of candidacy will have the effect of resignation. So hindi na po kinakailangang mag-resign kapag naghain ng certificate of candidacy,” Roque said.
(I have not heard of anyone resigning. The filing of a certificate of candidacy will have the effect of resignation. So there is no need to resign if they filed their certificate of candidacy.)
The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has named the following Cabinet members as part of its initial senatorial slate: Roque, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, and Anti-corruption commission Chairperson Greco Belgica.
Asked about his own political plans, Roque said: “Antayin na lang po natin ang Oktubre a-otso.”
(Let’s just wait for October 8.)