Aquino execs back Petilla

Energy Secretary Jericho Carlos Petilla. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Although unaware if President Benigno Aquino III will accept the resignation of Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla, two Palace officials on Thursday said the Secretary deserved to keep his post for doing an “admirable job.”

“Petilla has done a very admirable job not only in the energizing of the towns but in his capacity as Secretary of Energy,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said over Inquirer Radio 990AM.

“I prefer that he not offer his resignation… (He) did a good job,” he added.

The statement came a day after Petilla announced his plan to resign after failing to bring back power in towns devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

“It is unfortunate but he chose to keep his word,” Lacierda said, referring to Petilla’s promise to restore electricity in these areas before Christmas.

As of posting time, Petilla is in Malacanang to discuss his resignation with the President.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a separate television interview, “I was talking to him (Petilla) yesterday [Wednesday] and I told him that I think he did his job, he had not wasted time and he had really given everything for them.”

“And I said that in my opinion – I don’t want to preempt the decision of the President, this is only my personal opinion – that he may be asked to continue his services,” Coloma added.

Coloma said that Petilla set the Christmas deadline because as former governor of Leyte, one of the areas hit hard by the typhoon, the energy chief simply wanted to show his determination to help his provincemates.

“We saw that right from the start, he was really determined and aside from that, he wants to give hope to his provincemates and the region, to be able to rise from the calamity,” he said.

Lacierda said that only three towns – Salcedo, Guiuan and Mercedes in Eastern Samar – had problems with electricity on Christmas Eve. He said that while they were connected back to the grid, the connected was not stable and “the power kept tripping.”

However, Lacierda said, “But you know 3 out of 300 that’s just one percent. So he accomplished almost 100 percent of his target in a span of I think over a month.”

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