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MANILA, Philippines — Menardo Guevarra is out as solicitor general while Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, his brother Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will remain in the Cabinet.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who announced the second phase of the “bold reset” in the administration, said President Marcos also accepted the resignation of J. Prospero de Vera III as head of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Guevarra, who served as justice secretary of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was replaced by University of the Philippines College of Law dean Darlene Marie Berberabe, who took her oath yesterday.
De Vera, who had served as higher education chief for seven years, will be replaced by CHED Commissioner Shirley Agrupis.
Bersamin said the resignations form part of a “rigorous and ongoing evaluation of government performance not only at the Cabinet level but across the entire bureaucracy.”
“The people expect results and the President has no patience for underperformance,” Bersamin said at a press briefing yesterday.
“Each resignation accepted is based on a careful assessment of whether the standards
set by the President for efficiency and leadership have been met. Some have delivered, others have not,” Bersamin added.
He said the President accepted Guevarra’s resignation “to allow for fresh blood to come in.”
“SolGen Guevarra has been there since the beginning and maybe it is time for him to go to another venture,” he said.
Bersamin clarified that Guevarra’s refusal to take part in the petitions challenging the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Duterte had nothing to do with the acceptance of his resignation.
“I don’t think that was a factor at all because if you recall, there was a strong clamor for the termination or removal of Solicitor General Guevarra at that time. The public perception that gave rise to this clamor must have been about his taking the opposite side of the issue. But, you know, he and the President had a conversation about this, and the President respected his ethical decision to recuse,” he said.
Bersamin said that Berberabe, the incoming solicitor general, is “a brilliant and intellectual person” with a strong philosophy background. Berberabe, who finished her law degree in 1999, is a former general counsel of Procter and Gamble and chief executive officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund
With regard to the acceptance of De Vera’s resignation, Bersamin said Marcos may have wanted to give a “fresh start” to the CHED.
“We cannot discount that the intramurals in CHED had a factor there. I do not know; I cannot particularize because I’m just generally aware of those particulars. A collegial body like the CHED always comes under such pressure from within but I’m not going to say that that was the reason, I’m just guessing. That played a lot in the acceptance of the resignation,” he said.
Año fate uncertain
When asked whether the President accepted the resignation of National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Bersamin replied: “I do not know yet because that is a personal thing for the President. He is the security adviser and actually, that resignation letter was not coursed through me. Because it’s personal, they have a personal thing there.”
“Whether the President will reject it, it’s up to him,” he added.
GOCC chiefs quit posts
The heads of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) tendered their courtesy resignations in compliance with President Marcos’ order as part of the administration’s bold reset.
In separate statements, GOCC chiefs confirmed that they already submitted their courtesy resignations to Marcos.
These include Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Lynette Ortiz, Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) president and CEO Rafael Consing Jr., Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Wick Veloso and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco.
Veloso said he submitted “without hesitation or reservation” and out of respect for Marcos’ leadership. “This is to give him full discretion in determining the best path forward for his administration,” Veloso said in a Viber message.
Consing, on the other hand, said the entire board of directors of MIC likewise tendered their resignations upon receipt of the memorandum from the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG).
Tengco, meanwhile, noted that all members of Pagcor’s board of directors also voluntarily stepped down last week. These include Pagcor president and COO Wilma Eisma and directors Jose Maria Ortega, Francis Democrito Concordia and Gilbert Cesar Remulla.
In the agriculture sector, Sugar Regulatory Administration president and CEO Pablo Luis Azcona confirmed his resignation as well.
Heads of state-run firms under the Department of Transportation have also complied with the presidential directive to quit their posts.
Light Rail Transit Authority administrator Hernando Cabrera told The STAR he filed his courtesy resignation before the Office of the President an hour after receiving notice from GCG.
Philippine National Railways general manager Deovanni Miranda submitted his courtesy resignation last May 23. Miranda said he complied with the initial directive from Malacañang for all heads of agencies, especially Cabinet members, to quit their posts.
Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eric Jose Ines also submitted his courtesy resignation to Malacañang via the Office of Executive Secretary.
Philippine Ports Authority general manager Jay Santiago filed his courtesy resignation in line with the Marcos administration’s revamp. Under Santiago’s leadership, the PPA has become one of the best-performing state-run firms.
PhilHealth chief also resigns
In compliance with the directive, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. acting president Dr. Edwin Mercado has submitted his courtesy resignation. Mercado though, will continue to exert effort so Filipinos can have access to health services.
Speaker Martin Romualdez welcomed yesterday President Marcos’ appointment of UP Law dean Berberabe as the country’s new solicitor general.
“This is not a ceremonial post. We need a Solicitor General who can stand firm before the Supreme Court, argue persuasively, and safeguard the legal interests of the State,” Romualdez said.
Leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front, among them officials of agencies in the Bangsamoro region, are worried of a backlash in the government’s peace process with southern communities if President Marcos designates a new peace adviser who has limited understanding of the Mindanao secessionist issue.
Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Minister Muslimin Sema, chairman of the MNLF, told reporters on Thursday that they want the President to reappoint the retired Army officer Carlito Galvez Jr. as his adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity, asserting that Galvez has ample knowledge about the government’s separate peace accords with the MNLF and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. — John Unson, Jose Rodel Clapano, Elijah Felice Rosales, Louise Maureen Simeon, Rainier Allan Ronda, Rhodina Villanueva, Elizabeth Marcelo
