Malacañan Palace on Thursday denied the claim of former newsman Jay Sonza that former senator and Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas III has been appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to a Cabinet position.
According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, Sonza’s story on social media that Roxas—who ran for the presidency but lost to Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 under the Liberal Party banner—was appointed as Agriculture Secretary by President Marcos was “not true.”
Sonza had posted on his Facebook account a congratulatory message to Roxas, calling the former DILG official “Secretary” together with his wife, Korina Sanchez-Roxas—a former TV colleague of Sonza at ABS-CBN.
Netizens then speculated that Roxas— a cousin of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos—had been appointed to the Cabinet, but the PCO said it was just “a rumor that has been lingering around for some time since the assumption of Mr. Marcos to the Presidency.”
Agriculture, the Cabinet portfolio concurrently held by the President, was also one of Roxas’ advocacies as a senator. He then led the Interior department under President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III before being anointed as his successor in the 2016 polls, teaming up with eventual Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
Robredo edged Mr. Marcos in the VP election six years ago but suffered a landslide defeat in a rematch for the presidency last May. Roxas, meanwhile, has remained a private citizen since his election loss.