Aquino’s problem with Robredo

President Aquino made a hasty turn- around after he announced in a live TV interview Thursday that he was transferring Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to the still to be created Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. He has to have a scapegoat and the most convenient for him now is media. He said media misunderstood what he said to Ted Failon. “Mali ang pagkakaintindi,” he said. Failon asked him what happens now to the three Cabinet members who are in “acting” capacity since Congress will be resuming session soon and the Commission on Appointments would be able to deliberate on his appointees. This was his answer: “Sa DILG naman po, baka imando natin sa iba pang ahensya kung saka-sakali. Wala pa pong planong maliwanag. Si Sec. Robredo maganda po ang ginagawang trabaho ngayon pero meron po tayong gustong i-fast track na mga programa tulad sa informal settlers na talagang expertise ho niya. So baka magtayo tayo ng bagong grupo na talagang tutulong sa Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor at mga shelter agencies natin na mas focused and mas realizeable tulad noong sa Lupang Arenda, daang libo ang nasa danger.” Less than 24 hours after that live interview, Aquino issued a statement that “he will stay in his present position for the meantime. No plans of transferring him anywhere.” He further said, “Yung possibility of asking him (Robredo) to do that as a head of a coordinating agency for all the various agencies involved, yung housing, yung Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, etcetera, is far from saying that he is already getting that post.” Aquino can blame media all he wants but it does not erase the fact that he made a turn-around. Why? Our usual sources said a number of his supporters were alarmed by the thought that the likes of Robredo, who they look up to as the epitome of a competent, upright government official, are incompatible with the President whom they helped elect believing in his campaign promise of reforms in governance. They took to heart his “matuwid na daan” slogan. They immediately found a way to communicate their concern to him and “knocked some sense into him.” Their concern is best expressed by Solita Monsod in her column in the Inquirer. Monsod, in her open letter to Aquino entitled, “How can you not want Robredo” wrote:” Which is why I am now asking you—on bended knee, if you wish—to reconsider your decision to replace Jesse Robredo as head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. I am asking not because I want to help Jesse—he can take care of himself and will not suffer from any lack of alternative and certainly much more lucrative employment in the private sector. I am asking because I want to help you succeed in tackling poverty through honest and effective governance. And kicking Jesse out—or up, as the case may be—will be a major, major step backward for you and for the country.” Monsod’s final appeal: “Mr. President, in your appointments, you have accommodated friends and classmates. I ask you now to accommodate the Philippines. Keep Jesse.” Robredo was in Davao last Thursday and upon hearing Aquino’s statement he discussed with his supporters whether it was worth staying on. Aquino has said that his differences with Robredo, who was one of the last to be named to the Cabinet, stemmed from their working style. He said he did not like it that during the campaign Robredo, who was in charge of provincial sorties, would arrange as many as 20 meetings for him in a day leaving him no time to rest. Aquino several times expressed the desire to remove Robredo from the Department of Interior and Local Government. He had wanted the recently retired Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Verzosa for the position. Versoza as DILG chief with Rico E. Puno as undersecretary was Aquino’s dream team for the department that supervises local government and peace and order. By a strange twist of fate, the Aug. 23 hostage crisis happened. Plus the jueteng exposé of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz that zeroed in on Puno and Versoza as the recipients of multi-million peso monthly payolas. When the Senate was conducting a hearing on jueteng, Aquino was in the United States. He was fed the information that Robredo had a hand in Bishop Cruz’ exposé. A source said Aquino was overheard saying that he would take Robredo out of the DILG when he returns to Manila. In his meeting with the members of the Incident Investigation Review Committee (IIRC) that investigated the August 23 hostage tragedy, he remarked that if Puno would be charged, Robredo should also be charged. The IIRC members were aghast because Aquino himself, in public statements, had cleared Robredo of responsibility in the hostage crisis because he had designated Puno in charge of the PNP. In the end, Puno was cleared. A source close to Robredo said his decision to stay on is a response to the appeal of several civil society groups whose frustration level with Aquino’s governance is increasing. It also has something to do with the battle of the “Balay” and “Samar” factions in the Aquino administration. Robredo belongs to the “Balay” group and they would not want to give control of the department that supervises local government to the other group.