It’s official: Petilla is DOE chief; Almendras to Palace

SYDNEY, Australia—President Benigno Aquino confirmed he has appointed Leyte Gov. Jericho “Icot” Petilla as the new energy secretary, replacing Rene Almendras.

Almendras will be moved to the Office of the President as the secretary to the Cabinet, but with a Cabinet rank, confirming an earlier story by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“Governor Petilla is the incoming secretary of energy. I haven’t signed his papers (yet),” said the President, who announced this minor Cabinet revamp during a briefing with the Philippine media delegation here on Thursday.

He said that Petilla, a third-term governor, had asked to “finish certain commitments in the province of Leyte,” so he could not assume his Cabinet post just yet.

Explaining Almendras’ new assignment, Mr. Aquino said this was akin to the post “previously occupied by Ping de Jesus during my mother’s incumbency.”

It was Secretary Ricardo Saludo who last held the post during the Arroyo presidency.

According to the President, Almendras should hold a Cabinet rank because he would be dealing with Cabinet members.

“Well, Secretary Almendras has been doing, perhaps, not even half, more than half already of that new role (Cabinet secretary) in addition to his function as secretary of energy,” Mr. Aquino said.

Julia Abad stays

The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief, Julia Abad, will remain at her post, according to the President.

Abad was earlier reported to be quitting her post to relocate to Washington with her British husband and their baby daughter.

But Mr. Aquino found out that she was already well-adjusted to her dual role as a public servant and first-time mother, thus, there was no need for her to leave the official family of the President.

“Julia, I understand, has a new child. She has already adopted a routine and is capable of retaining her job. She can accommodate being a new mother and attending to her functions as PMS head. Probably, some of the load would also be transferred to Secretary Almendras,” Mr. Aquino said.

The PMS is the workhorse of the Office of the President.

Putting an end to further speculations on changes in his Cabinet, the President said: “That’s it. Unless someone resigns that I won’t allow, or someone will elope.”

He noted that he was the only bachelor in the Cabinet.

Petilla’s qualifications

Petilla has accepted his invitation to join his administration, the President said, but added that it was up to Petilla when to quit his elective post.

“I’ll have to ask Governor Petilla. That’s the last step,” Mr. Aquino said.

Asked about Petilla’s qualifications, the President said that they both shared the same “ideology” and perspective on many things.

“In the private sector, he started out and ran various companies. Among them are the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) companies,” Mr. Aquino said, pointing out that he needed “somebody who’s astute also with the aspect of finance.”

“Again, the way he has run Leyte tells me that he is very capable not only for the energy portfolio. [Because] there was an immediate (need for a secretary), I asked him and he said, ‘Sir, whenever you need me I’m ready,’” Mr. Aquino added.

Bartolome retires in March

In Manila, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the President had granted the request of Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Nicanor Bartolome to retire in March next year so he can receive full benefits.

Bartolome requested to stay on until he turns 56, the mandatory retirement age for police officials, on March 16, 2013, so he could enjoy a full pension, said Lacierda.

“I think the PNP chief would rather stay on in his office. That’s my understanding. The personal concern of General Bartolome is if he retires early, it will have an effect on his pension and he would prefer also to finish his term,” he told reporters.

This has been “agreed upon,” he said, speaking for the President.

The President earlier eyed Bartolome to replace Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, who quit purportedly to give Secretary Manuel Roxas II a free hand in choosing his own team. Roxas replaced Secretary Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash on Aug. 18.

An early retirement by Bartolome was supposed to give the new PNP chief ample time to prepare for the midterm elections in May 2013.

“There are exceptions [to the appointments’ ban],” Lacierda said when asked if the President would extend Bartolome’s term. “The Constitution provides for an exception during an election period, but you can still make appointments.”

While in Russia in early September, the President said he had asked Bartolome to retire earlier so that the next PNP chief would ensure peaceful elections next year. He indicated that Bartolome could replace Puno.

Short list

Lacierda said that Roxas had drawn up a short list of those who could be named the next undersecretary for peace and order, the post vacated by Puno.

“I spoke to Secretary Mar (Roxas) yesterday (Wednesday). There is a short list already that he is preparing to submit to the President,” he said.

Puno’s resignation came on the heels of a report that he and police officials tried to enter the offices of Robredo at the Department of Interior and Local Government, in Camp Crame and the National Police Commission, as well as his condominium unit in Quezon City on Aug. 19.

Mr. Aquino later confirmed that he had ordered a lock-down of Robredo’s offices and that he issued the order to Puno, whom he designated to supervise the PNP and be his “eyes and ears” there.

At the time of his death, Robredo was reportedly investigating contracts involving Puno on the acquisition of firearms by the PNP. With a report from TJ Burgonio