WHAT WENT BEFORE

ON MAY 28, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the running mate of President Rodrigo Duterte, said that Vice President Leni Robredo would be offered a Cabinet job in the incoming administration.

Cayetano, who lost the vice presidential race to Robredo, said Duterte, from the time it became clear that he would govern, had been considering what job to give to whoever would be elected Vice President.

Duterte’s camp also expressed openness to having Robredo in the Cabinet even during the unofficial count of the votes by the election watchdog, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

At a press conference, when asked what job he would possibly give to Robredo in his administration, Duterte replied: “What would be a nice-sounding job?”

On May 29, Duterte said there might be “an opportunity” for  Robredo, but he was not in a hurry to offer her a job in his Cabinet.

While his camp had repeatedly spoken about him considering giving Robredo a Cabinet position, Duterte appeared noncommittal, saying he was looking to pay back first his debt of gratitude to the people within his own circle, who were instrumental in his electoral victory.

“That (giving Robredo a Cabinet job) never entered my mind actually. I am not trying to be smart aleck, but I’m still trying to figure out the selection in my own group and party,” he said, contradicting earlier statements by his own people.

If it’s just talking about “an opportunity” for Robredo, “it would come later,” he added.

“It doesn’t mean to say the door is open and there’s already the job waiting. It’s an opportunity or maybe we can talk about just having a good rapport in the meantime because we don’t even know each other yet,” Duterte said.

On June 1, Duterte again reiterated that he remained “noncommittal” to a possible appointment for Robredo, disclosing  for the first time that his friendship with defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is part of the reason.

“There’s really none… There’s no compelling reason. I know Bongbong Marcos. He is my friend. I don’t want to hurt him,” Duterte said.

Duterte’s father, Vicente, was an appointee of the senator’s father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Robredo said she respected the prerogative of Duterte to choose the people who would make up his official family.

“As President, he has the power to select the people who can help him run his government,” she said in a statement.

“Whether with a position or not, I will strive to keep the promises I made to our people to the best of my ability,” Robredo said.

By tradition, Vice Presidents are given a Cabinet portfolio by the President, but no law mandates this.

But during their meeting in Malacañang on July 4, though she was not promised a Cabinet post, Robredo was asked by Duterte to visit him in Malacañang more often and help with his job of running the country.

Robredo said that before she left the meeting, Duterte told her: “Please assist me in my job.”

Though no follow-up meeting was scheduled, Robredo said Duterte told her: “Visit me more often because you are part of this administration. It’s better that you are also informed of the country’s situation.”