What conflict of interest? Panelo defends 2 new Cabinet members

DAVAO CITY—Incoming presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday defended the choices of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on who will head the tourism and trade departments in the incoming administration.

Brushing off criticisms of alleged conflict of interest, Panelo said Department of Tourism chief-designate Wanda Tulfo Teo, a travel agency owner, and incoming Department of Trade and Industry secretary businessman Ramon Lopez both met Duterte’s standards.

“All the appointees of President Duterte have passed the criteria he gave us, and these are integrity, competence and experience. I am sure the Tourism Secretary-designate passes all these,” Panelo told reporters at Marco Polo Hotel here.

Through a video released to media on Monday, incoming deputy presidential spokesperson Ernie Abella announced that Duterte had chosen Teo and Lopez, along with Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial for the health department, as the latest addition to Duterte’s Cabinet.

Teo, sister of journalist and Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo, is the president of National Association & Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) Phil. Inc., which claims to be the “biggest tourism organization in the country.” She is also the owner of Mt. Apo Travel & Tours.

Lopez, meanwhile, is the executive director of Go Negosyo.

Panelo said there will be no conflict of interest once Teo and Lopez vacate their posts in their respective companies.

“With respect to conflict of interest, ang gagawin niya lang naman mawawala siya doon sa kanyang company, wala nang conflict of interest,” he said.

Panelo also welcomed Duterte’s choice of Abella as deputy presidential spokesperson and vowed effective coordination in Palace communications would be achieved even if they have yet to personally talk.

“Baka nami-meet ko siya pero hindi ko alam ang pangalan. Baka kilala ko siya sa mukha,” Panelo said of Abella, a preacher and writer.

“We will always be in unison, in step with each other. The policy of all spokesman will be the policy given by the President. We cannot deviate from it, we cannot change, alter, modify it. But I welcome his appointment because he was chosen by the President,” he added.

Duterte’s ally Peter Tiu Lavinia, a member of the President-elect’s transition team, said the longtime mayor picked “highly qualified insiders” he had worked with in the past.

“Wanda is a long-time player in the tourism sector in Mindanao, Ramon partnered with the local government in bringing GoNegosyo to Davao City, while Pauline served in the DOH in Region XI,” Lavinia wrote on Facebook.

“Ernie, on the other hand, is a preacher and writes a column in Davao. He was one of the best writers to defend Duterte in social media during the black propaganda attacks during the election,” he said./ac