Duterte wants to be environment secretary

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte leans on his seat at a press conference in Davao City on May 25. INQUIRER PHOTO

DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte wants to be his own environment secretary, according to an Inquirer source.

The source said Duterte wanted to handle the Department of Environment and Natural Resources “for at least a year with the help of a former military officer.”

Earlier reports said Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate was nominated by the National Democratic Front to be DENR secretary, but he begged off claiming that he preferred to continue his work in Congress.

Duterte offered the post to the NDF but later took it back. He said he wanted a former military man to head the department.

As of this writing, Duterte is still holding a meeting with personalities he earlier named to be part of his Cabinet./rga