Just last week, under the glow of victory, the people around Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said they envisioned a Cabinet akin to that one formed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—inclusive and diverse. In the Trudeau team, there was a healthy mix of young and old officials, women and men, and those from backgrounds other than what their leader had.
It is tempting to peg one’s first few choices on Trudeau. The Canadian leader, while hailing from a traditional political family, is young, attractive, and affable, and has exhibited a refreshing openness to challenge convention in the interest of inclusion.
Our presumptive president has uttered statements indicating he would make bold changes to how things are done in government. Alas, he has populated his would-be Cabinet so far with the same type of faces—with some carrying heavier baggage than others.
We have pointed out the unpalatable choice of Rep. Mark Villar as public works secretary with its glaring conflict of interest issue that even the Villar family’s real estate company share price celebrated.
An even more appalling choice is that of lawyer Salvador Panelo, who will be the face and the voice of Duterte—the sole one, they emphasized, as opposed to the several spokesmen under the incumbent president.
Panelo’s appointment to speak for the chief executive is objectionable given his previous record of defending the Ampatuan family accused of killing 58 individuals, 32 of them media workers.
Two years ago, Panelo went to the extent of branding the accusations against the Ampatuan family “fabricated.” They were innocent and an injustice has been committed against them, he said.
This same man will face journalists every day, explain the administration’s side on issues and answer the media’s questions.
If we go by Panelo’s record, he would then be shooting down—figuratively, of course—the press’ inquiries on how the Duterte administration would seek to improve the lot of Filipinos while respecting the rule of law and practicing common decency.
What then will happen to valid questions and the role of the media in keeping officials in check for their words, actions and inaction?
Then again, it’s not just how Panelo would prospectively deal with journalists. It’s the entire message that his appointment brings. Is Duterte saying it is all right to appoint people who had made reprehensible statements in the past just so long as they enjoyed his confidence? Such insensitivity reeks of traditional politics.
It’s beginning to feel a lot like the only change we can expect, after the big to-do about challenging the status quo, is being shortchanged.