Gilberto Teodoro as defense chief

IN HIS most recent column, “More than just English usage” (Opinion, 5/20/16), historian Ambeth R. Ocampo noted that the term “presumptive president” being used by media when referring to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, is “painful to the eye and ear.” He added that he didn’t remember the term being used on Benigno Aquino, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Joseph Estrada or Fidel Ramos while they waited in limbo before assuming the presidency.

I fully agree with his observations. For one thing, “presumptive” is too close for comfort to the word “presumptuous,” which indicates a certain degree of arrogance or insolence. There is nothing arrogant or insolent about 17 million Filipinos choosing Duterte for their next president.

Until the Davao mayor is officially declared by Congress as the winning candidate for the presidency, I shall refer to him as the “incoming president” and thereafter until June 30, as the “president-elect.” As Ambeth pointed out, the choice of these terms reveals one’s bias.

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The incoming president has started to flesh out his Cabinet with a number of positions being offered to old friends, classmates, colleagues and political supporters. As someone put it, the “usual suspects.” There is nothing wrong with this formula. All presidents use it; who else would the fellow turn to? A president works best with men he can trust and with whom he feels comfortable. His choices usually reflect close relationships developed in the past. We only ask that if these choices prove incompetent or crooked, they should be replaced. Of course, oftentimes that is the sticky part.

President Aquino found it excruciatingly difficult to let go of PNP chief Alan Purisima so much so that even after Purisima was suspended by the Ombudsman, he kept him at his side. Purisima continued giving advice and even orders that eventually led to the Mamasapano tragedy.

Somehow I am reminded of a story concerning appointments being made by newly-elected President John F. Kennedy. The name of a Massachusetts supporter kept appearing in the list of recommendees for government positions but had been crossed out by JFK. When the name reappeared one more time, he told his brother Bobby that the fellow was an SOB, and should be dropped. Bobby retorted that he may be an SOB but he is our SOB.

For now this seems to be the tentative Cabinet lineup. I say tentative since there may still be changes until the appointments are officially announced by the President himself or the nominees finally take their oath of office.

Executive secretary, Salvador Medialdea; finance secretary, Carlos Dominguez; transportation secretary, Art Tugade; justice secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre; public works secretary, Mark Villar; acting foreign secretary, Perfecto Yasay; education secretary, Peter Laurel; energy secretary, Alfonso Cusi; solicitor general, Jose Calida; presidential spokesperson, Salvador Panelo; presidential peace adviser, Jesus Dureza; agriculture secretary, Emmanuel Piñol.

Still vacant are the following Cabinet positions: Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The last four are reportedly being reserved for the possible participation of Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front personalities.

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Notes on some of the nominees.

• Vitaliano Aguirre—During the Corona impeachment trial, he was cited for contempt for clasping both ears with his palms during remarks being delivered by Lady Miriam. This was interpreted as a sign of disrespect. It is not clear if this was his intent or he was merely resting his tired head between his hands.
• Mark Villar—There appears to be some conflict of interest in this appointment since the family is involved in real estate development projects. The DPWH has a major say on where highways and bridges would be constructed.
• Perfecto Yasay Jr.—Some quarters are concerned about possible overseas residency status. It would be awkward for our foreign secretary to be a permanent resident abroad. Impeccable sources tell me that Jun Yasay gave up his green card many years ago. I remember Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Yasay standing up to the bullying of then President Joseph Estrada during the height of the BW

Resources scandal in 1999. We need someone who stands up to bullies whether in business or in the South China Sea.

• Salvador Panelo—There are objections from relatives of Maguindanao massacre victims since Panelo served as the lawyer of the Ampatuans.

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It was reported that the DND portfolio was offered to Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro. So far there has been no feedback on this matter. Allow me to share with you a few thoughts on Gibo.

In 2007, members of Philippine Air Force Flying School Class of 1957 marked their golden anniversary with a simple gathering of classmates and flight instructors at the Milky Way restaurant in Makati. I was asked to introduce the guest of honor, then Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.

My remarks: “Seven years after our graduation, a boy was born to Gilberto Teodoro Sr. and Mercedes Cojuangco. The boy would finish at De La Salle University with a commerce degree, majoring in financial institutions. This was followed by law studies at the UP College of Law where he would be awarded the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. After graduation he would top the Philippine Bar exams. Teodoro would move on to Harvard for his masters in law and admission to the bar of the State of New York. His political career would take him to three terms in Congress, serving as head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition in the House of Representatives.

“Aside from being a licensed commercial pilot, Teodoro finished the Command and Staff Course at the Philippine Air Force and later attended the Joint Command and Staff College of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He is perhaps one of the very few legislators to have undergone both courses, an education which has clearly prepared him for his current responsibilities.

“At age 43, he is the youngest person to serve as defense secretary. It would be difficult to avoid the thought that we have in our midst a future president of the republic, much like a former defense secretary who in his time restored the faith of our people in the Armed Forces and gave us hope and confidence in the future of our country.”

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Gibo Teodoro failed to make it when he ran for the presidency in 2010. But initial failure is oftentimes just a stepping stone on the road to eventual success.