Marcos wants Abalos back in gov’t, rules out Cabinet revamp

MANILA, Philippines — Addressing rumors of another Cabinet revamp, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos to play a more active role in government but clarified that this would not come at the expense of any current Cabinet official.

The statement comes amid speculation about the possible exit of current Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who is allegedly being eyed for replacement by Abalos.

READ: DILG chief Remulla still enjoys Marcos’ trust – Palace

“I want Benhur to play a more active role in government. Of course, he has been there and he has been helping us in many ways, informally, privately. I wouldn’t mind finding a way for him to help us in an official capacity,” Marcos told reporters in an interview in Kazan, Russia on Thursday.

“But just because we want him to join, to become more active, to play a more active part in government doesn’t necessarily mean that somebody else has to be—it’s not a zero-sum thing in the Cabinet that you have to remove somebody to gain somebody else.”

Further dismissing claims of a Cabinet revamp, Marcos said such a move would be counterproductive to the government’s efforts to promote stability.

READ: Palace says no update yet on possible Cabinet revamp

“You know the—what you want to do—what you are trying to promote in government is stability and the steadiness of work. And that’s part—that’s an important part of governance,” he said.

“If you keep moving people around, they have to start learning their job again. And that they—we just don’t have time for that. And this—the people who are sitting in their particular capacities, be it Cabinet, be it something—some other agency—are, as far as I’m concerned, doing the job that they are asked to do and have gained already the experience that they have learned lessons from,” Marcos also said.

Marcos said he and his Cabinet officials are “working well together” and are a “really good group.”

Apparently puzzled by the recurring questions about a Cabinet reshuffle, the President said the matter is not even discussed during Cabinet meetings.

“I don’t see why you keep talk—why does this subject keep coming up? Because I have to tell you, when we sit around the table in meetings, we don’t talk about that,” he said./coa