The presumptive president of the Republic of the Philippines, Pres. Duterte has already named former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary while Col. Rolando Bautista will be assigned as the head of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) under his administration.
Mayor Rody Duterte made the announcement during a late-night news conference in Davao City. Although Bello was already named earlier by Mayor Duterte as the head of the government panel in the peace talks with the communist rebels, appointing the former Justice Secretary as head of DOLE was welcomed by the veteran lawyer.
The incoming DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III noted also that although he heard the news about Mayor Duterte’s announcement as head of DOLE, the mayor has yt to inform him about his new appointment. For the Presidential Security Group, the commander of the military force fighting the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, Col. Bautista, welcomed his appointment and he was honored to served the incoming Philippine president.
Silvestre Bello III is a very well known human rights lawyer in Davao City, he was among those who helped defend former priest-turned-rebel and eventually a politician, Maribojoc, Bohol Mayor Leoncio Evasco, who also served as Mayor Duterte’s city administrator.
One of the aim of Mayor Duterte in putting Atty. Bello in the Department of Labor and Employment is that to implement of ending contractualization in the Philippines.
Aside from Silvestre Bello III and Col. Rolando Bautista, Mayor Rody Duterte also announced to the media that Maribojoc, Bohol Mayor Leoncio Evasco, the national campaign manager of Duterte as his Cabinet Secretary.
Mayor Rody Duterte also plans to divide DOLE, there will be a department for overseas workers and another department for fisheries and aquatic resources. He also expected resistance from major companies on his vision of ending contractualization but he promised he will give the companies the protection needed against corruption from the government.
In chosing the next chief of the Presidential Security Group, Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, spokesperso for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said Bautista, commander of Joint Task Group Basilan and of the 104th Infantry Brigade, was a “true military professional with uncompromising values.”