Work, not politics, in Cabinet’s mind—Palace

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Aquino administration will continue to “focus on governance” amid calls for the resignation of Cabinet members and government officials planning to run in the 2016 elections, a Palace official said.

“While we understand that the campaign season seemed to have started early for some, the Aquino administration continue to focus on the mandate to serve our countrymen by focusing on people, health education and infrastructure among others,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement Wednesday.

The call intensified after Vice President Jejomar Binay resigned from the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III.

READ: Do a Binay, Cabinet bets told

Binay on Monday tendered his irrevocable resignation as chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers.

He resigned amid allegations of massive corruption while he was still mayor of Makati City.

READ: Binay quits Aquino Cabinet

“In due time, the political campaign season will start but until such time, the government will focus on governance,” Lacierda said.

Senators have called on government executives eyeing a political run in 2016 to resign from their posts “out of delicadeza.”

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said it would be “unfair for them to stay in office, while Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said it would be proper for such cabinet officials to leave office early to avoid suspicion that they use government resources for their campaign.

But among Cabinet members, only Binay has declared his presidential ambition.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the presumptive standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, has yet to announce any decision to run in 2016.

Aquino, meanwhile, said he would announce his top choice as his successor in 2016 after his last State of the Nation (Sona) this July.

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