Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER/JOAN BONDOC
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President Rodrigo Duterte has told Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to quit his Senate ambition and offered him a new job in government instead.
鈥淎yan sila si Roque, gusto mag-senador. Sabi ko, 鈥楾ama ka na鈥tandby ka. Bigyan kita ibang trabaho. Hindi ka manalo diyan鈥�,鈥� Duterte said in a speech before members of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. in Malaca帽ang听on Thursday.
According to Mr. Duterte, the military doesn鈥檛 like Roque. He did not elaborate.
鈥淎h 鈥榶ung mga sundalo ayaw sa iyo,鈥� he said.
Sought for his comment, Roque said he would think about the President鈥檚 offer to him this weekend.
鈥淲hile there was no categorical agreement on what to do, I did say I will consider it and I wanted the weekend to think it over,鈥� Roque said in a Palace briefing.
Asked what position was offered to him, the Presidential mouthpiece said the post is still non-existent.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 saying is because wala pa pong ganung position. It鈥檚 a suggestion made by the senators and it came from the Senate President, and I understand that they in fact had discussed about this matter. That much I know,鈥� he said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III听on Wednesday听said he wanted the revival of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) to replace the current role of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
Duterte听apparently wants Roque to head the OPS when he offered him a new job.听
Roque is widely believed to run as senator in the 2019 midterm elections but has yet to announce his plans.
鈥淟et鈥檚 just say as I said I will think twice about my options. I need the weekend now, to decide. It goes without saying that if I do file, I鈥檓 considered resigned from this position. But I do confirm, as the President has said, that he offered me another job. Which is still related to being spokesperson,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 have said that I needed the weekend to think about my options, but as you can see I cannot be effective as a spokesperson unless I know everything about the President,鈥� he also said.
Unaware
Roque admitted that he was unaware that Duterte went to the Cardinal Santos Hospital in San Juan City听on Wednesday听for diagnostic tests.
He earlier told reporters that Duterte was just having his 鈥減rivate time鈥� at the Bahay Pangarap in Malaca帽ang when asked听on Wednesday听about the President鈥檚 whereabouts amid rumors that he was hospitalized.
On Thursday, Duterte admitted he went to the hospital for checkup.
鈥淣ow people think I lied. I鈥檓 telling the nation, I did not, I did not know,鈥� Roque said.
He said Duterte鈥檚 admission came to him as a 鈥渃omplete surprise.鈥�
鈥淵ou know this came as a complete surprise to me as well because he announced it in the command conference. So there was really no occasion to talk to the President, I just knew that oh, people will think I lied. But honestly, ladies and gentlemen, I did not know. And not knowing is not the same as lying,鈥� Roque said. /kga