Gibo Refuses Again; Lorenzana Remains Defense Chief

For the second time around, Gibo refuses again to accept the Defense post which was re-offered by Duterte to him.

Gibo refuses again? Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro totally turned down President Rodrigo Duterte’s second attempt to appoint him as the secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND).

“Coming in tonight, I called him and reiterated my (offer),” Duterte said at a midnight press conference in Davao City. Later he confirmed that Gibo did not accept his offer.

“Si Gibo, talagang naghugas kamay. This guy siguro had a…” the President said.

“Bad experience in government? Bad experience working with the government?” a reporter tried to fill in.

“No, no, not bad experience in government. He was the secretary of defense. Maybe disenchanted was the word,” he said.

The President added: “He ran for president.”

Teodoro was Defense secretary during the Arroyo administration and vied for presidency in 2010 national elections but lost to his cousin, Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Duterte’s predecessor.

Duterte’s offer anew to Gibo was due to his plan to appoint now Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana to serve as the Philippine ambassador to the United States.

“He (wants) to be here. Matagal na. He was a very good soldier and I got him as my Defense secretary. Sabi niya, Mayor, maniwala man ako sa order mo. Matanda na ako, nakabalik na ako. Gusto ko dito na lang,” he recalled Lorenzana as saying.

( He said, Mayor, even if I obey your orders. I am old, I am back here and I want to stay)

Asked about the status of Teodoro and Lorenzana, Duterte said a Cabinet member pointed out the need to fill in the post immediately.

“Kung ayaw nila, maghanap na lang tayo ng iba (If they are not interested, we will find another),” he said.

Lorenzana served as military attache in the Philippine embassy in Washington.