Replacing Abella ‘my personal decision’ – Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte would not reveal his reasons for replacing Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, insisting that his decision is personal.

In a press conference in Davao City before leaving for an official visit to Japan on Sunday, Duterte maintained: “That is my personal decision. I am not about to explain why I did it.”

Asked whether Abella would be given another post in government, Duterte declined to answer it for now.

“I will answer you when he’s there,” he said.

Kabayan Party-list Rep. Harry Roque is set to replace Abella as the presidential spokesperson starting November 6.

Duterte announced Roque’s appointment during the lawmaker’s birthday celebration last Friday.

“He will carry my word to the public and he’s very competent, able, lahat na,” he said.

Mr. Duterte said he hoped that Roque, a human rights lawyer, would be able to meet his expectations.

“It’s in the messaging, actually. We cannot speak the same words altogether but how he would convey that message from me would be most important,” he said.

“I trust that he’d be able to come up to the expectation,” he added.   /kga