Interior Secretary Mar Roxas resigned on Monday, but President Aquino asked him to stay on a bit longer to attend to unfinished business and for a smooth transition at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In a statement, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Roxas handed his resignation letter to Aquino Monday afternoon but the President turned it down hours after telling reporters he would.
Coloma quoted Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. as saying that the President convinced Roxas to stay on and handle urgent matters and lead the transition to a new leadership at the DILG.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday that Roxas would resign soon to avoid being accused of using DILG resources to boost his campaign for Malaca帽ang.
President Aquino announced at a gathering of Liberal Party (LP) members and administration allies on Friday that Roxas was the candidate he would support in next year鈥檚 presidential election.
Roxas announced his departure Monday morning, saying he would hand in his letter of resignation in Malaca帽ang in the afternoon.
But President Aquino, after speaking at the 111th anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the morning, told reporters that he would try to convince Roxas to stay longer 鈥渢o finish a lot of things.鈥�
Aquino cited the Philippine National Police modernization program and the relocation of informal settlers from danger zones among the unfinished business at the DILG.
鈥淚鈥檇 like him to finish a lot of the things that can be finished before leaving the post and have the transition period,鈥� Aquino said.
New DILG chief
The President said he was considering several people in the search for Roxas鈥� replacement at the DILG but he declined to name them.
But sources said Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, former Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza and Interior Undersecretary Austere Panadero were among those being considered to take Roxas鈥� place at the DILG.
Iloilo Rep. Jerry Tre帽as said Sarmiento, the LP secretary general and former Calbayog City mayor, would make a good secretary of the interior.
鈥淗e (Sarmiento) is focused, dedicated and result-oriented. [He is one] of Roxas鈥� top advisers and [he is a] problem solver. He is only in his second term but I am certain he is ready to make a sacrifice for public service if necessary,鈥� Tre帽as said.
The Inquirer saw a copy of Roxas鈥� one-page letter of resignation thanking the President for allowing him to be part of his Cabinet.
The letter bore Roxas鈥� handwritten message to Aquino, 鈥淒ear Sir鈥� and 鈥淢araming salamat po (Thank you very much).鈥�
Roxas assured Aquino that he would be 鈥渙n call鈥� and that he would immediately start the turnover of all concerns at the DILG.
鈥淚t has been my highest honor as a public servant to have been part of your team and to have journeyed the [straight path] with you,鈥� Roxas said, using the slogan for the Aquino administration鈥檚 reform program.
鈥淚 take this opportunity once more to sincerely thank you for your trust and confidence in me to carry on the fight for [the straight path]. I meant every word I said in my response. I will not let you and our bosses down,鈥� he said, referring to the Filipino people.
Roxas also praised President Aquino for bringing the Philippines 鈥渢o the mountaintop.鈥�
鈥淎llowing me to be a part of this journey has given more meaning and fulfillment in my life. Thank you very, very much,鈥� he said.
Tearful goodbye at DILG
In a tearful farewell speech to DILG staff on Monday morning, Roxas said he would not leave immediately as the President had asked him to lead the transition at the department.
鈥淚 will always be proud of my association with you,鈥� Roxas told about 200 DILG employees at the farewell program held at the department鈥檚 office in Quezon City.
鈥淚 personally asked for this chance to say goodbye to all of you. Like you, I also feel sadness,鈥� he said, his voice cracking.
The DILG has administrative supervision over the PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Roxas cried as he joined some DILG employees in singing Florante鈥檚 stirring hit 鈥淗andog,鈥� one of his favorite songs.
A number of DILG employees also cried as they wished their outgoing boss good luck in his campaign for Malaca帽ang.
鈥淎s a boss, he did well. We wish him luck,鈥� said a teary-eyed Ma. Lizel Bautista, an executive clerk at the DILG. 鈥淗e pushed for systemic reforms in the PNP. He鈥檚 a systems man.鈥�
Lilibeth Masangkay, who works at the DILG planning office, said Roxas worked for a more transparent process in the procurement system in the department.
鈥淗e was very particular in the details of [our work],鈥� Masangkay said.
Goodbye at PNP
A shoo-in for his close friend, the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash in 2012, Roxas also attended Monday鈥檚 flag-raising ceremony of the PNP at Camp Crame to bid farewell to the 160,000-strong police force.
In his speech, Roxas cited the reforms that the PNP had initiated and accomplished despite the controversies that stumped the police organization, including the deaths of 44 police commandos in a botched counterterrorism operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25.
He also lauded the PNP for bringing down the crime rate in Metro Manila by more than half since it adopted the 鈥淥plan Lambat Sibat鈥� last year.
鈥淟adies and gentlemen of the PNP, may God protect you and keep you in His embrace. It has been my pleasure and a great, great honor to have served with you,鈥� Roxas said.
鈥淲hen we mention the police of today, most of the people look at you as [winners] and not [losers]. You must have heard what the President has been saying: Wherever we are deployed, we should leave that assignment in a better situation. There鈥檚 no doubt you have accomplished that,鈥� he said.
According to Roxas, he and the President had already discussed his intention to step down from his post as well as his possible replacement.
Roxas, however, declined to disclose who would succeed him, saying he did not want to preempt Aquino.
But sources said the President would likely give the DILG portfolio to the LP鈥檚 Sarmiento.
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