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Ricky Carandang resigns from Malacañang post
By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA News
(Updated 4:53 p.m.) After initial denials amid persistent rumors, Malacañang on Thursday finally announced the resignation of Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang from his post.
President Benigno Aquino III has accepted the resignation of Carandang, which was made two days ago and will be effective on December 31, 2013, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.
Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III, as the most senior official of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) that Carandang heads, will take over the latter's functions, Lacierda said.
The 46-year-old Carandang will return to the private sector after "a short and well-deserved vacation," Lacierda added. He did not elaborate.
Carandang worked as a broadcast journalist specializing in business reportage before he joined the Aquino administration. He is credited for helping raise the President's profile through web-based initiatives including the Official Gazette, social media accounts, and e-publications.
One of the first appointees of Aquino, Carandang "worked behind the scenes and before the cameras to do his part to communicate the President’s message," a Palace statement said.
Takeover?
"Galing sa ES iyon. [Pero] ang designations nandoon pa rin. The existence of PCDSPO and PCOO was by virtue of an Executive Order so those operations are still standing," he said.
'Seeking wisdom'
President Benigno Aquino III has accepted the resignation of Carandang, which was made two days ago and will be effective on December 31, 2013, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.
Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III, as the most senior official of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) that Carandang heads, will take over the latter's functions, Lacierda said.
The 46-year-old Carandang will return to the private sector after "a short and well-deserved vacation," Lacierda added. He did not elaborate.
Carandang worked as a broadcast journalist specializing in business reportage before he joined the Aquino administration. He is credited for helping raise the President's profile through web-based initiatives including the Official Gazette, social media accounts, and e-publications.
One of the first appointees of Aquino, Carandang "worked behind the scenes and before the cameras to do his part to communicate the President’s message," a Palace statement said.
Takeover?
Carandang's resignation came almost two months after Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio "Sonny" Coloma Jr. began taking a more active role at Palace briefings, which used to be primarily the domain of Lacierda.
Carandang and Lacierda, along with deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, are known to be supporters of Interior Sec. Mar Roxas in the so-called "Balay" faction.
Meanwhile, Coloma is identified with the rival "Samar" faction that supported the candidacy of Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay during the 2010 elections.
Binay and Roxas are known to be major contenders in the 2016 presidential elections.
A statement from the Office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. on Thursday described Coloma, who accompanied President Aquino to Japan for the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit, as the "Press Secretary."
Asked about the new position, which is not in the current Malacañang roster, Lacierda said he had no clue what it was all about.
Carandang and Lacierda, along with deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, are known to be supporters of Interior Sec. Mar Roxas in the so-called "Balay" faction.
Meanwhile, Coloma is identified with the rival "Samar" faction that supported the candidacy of Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay during the 2010 elections.
Binay and Roxas are known to be major contenders in the 2016 presidential elections.
A statement from the Office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. on Thursday described Coloma, who accompanied President Aquino to Japan for the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit, as the "Press Secretary."
Asked about the new position, which is not in the current Malacañang roster, Lacierda said he had no clue what it was all about.
"Galing sa ES iyon. [Pero] ang designations nandoon pa rin. The existence of PCDSPO and PCOO was by virtue of an Executive Order so those operations are still standing," he said.
"What we have right now is that all the communication units are working together. You got the PCOO, you got the PCDSPO, and you got also the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson coordinating with both offices," he said.
Asked if a takeover by "the other faction" in the Palace was imminent, Lacierda retorted: "What other faction?"
Asked if a takeover by "the other faction" in the Palace was imminent, Lacierda retorted: "What other faction?"
It was "up to the President ... what will happen to the Communications Group," he said.
"It will all depend on the further discussions with the President," he added.
"It will all depend on the further discussions with the President," he added.
'Seeking wisdom'
"Secretary Carandang thanked the President for the chance to serve the administration and the country. The President also thanked him for his service to the country," Lacierda read from a prepared statement.
The statement added that Carandang's tenure took place during the "eventful" first half of the Aquino presidency,
Lacierda said he was "very sad" with Carandang's departure, but added that the resigned official's "desire" to return to the private sector at this juncture was "something he felt is the right time to do."
The statement added that Carandang's tenure took place during the "eventful" first half of the Aquino presidency,
Lacierda said he was "very sad" with Carandang's departure, but added that the resigned official's "desire" to return to the private sector at this juncture was "something he felt is the right time to do."
"He just mentioned that he believes that he has done his job, that he would like to return to the private sector and that he will wander to the ends of the earth seeking wisdom," Lacierda said.
"Like any Cabinet official, it’s a very exciting job to be part of the President’s official family. But, as everyone else, there comes a time when you would like to return to the private sector, as eventually all of us will," he said.
"I believe that he has done a commendable job as the PCDSPO Secretary when most of the time you don’t see him because he often works behind the scenes, meeting with several Cabinet secretaries, meeting with the President discussing, also messaging. And as his role as PCDSPO, part of his work is strategic," said Lacierda.
Spate of resignations
Asked about rumors that he and Valte had also offered to resign at the end of the month, Lacierda said: "That's news to me."
He said he would only return to the private sector after President Aquino's term ends in 2016.
Carandang is not the only administration official to have resigned in recent months.
He said he would only return to the private sector after President Aquino's term ends in 2016.
Carandang is not the only administration official to have resigned in recent months.
Last July, Commissioner Ricardo David of the Bureau of Immigration resigned from his post, describing his job as "very challenging and difficult."
In September, National Bureau of Investigation director Nonnatus Rojas quit out of delicadeza after several NBI officials were accused of protecting alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
Early this month, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon stepped down after the Department of Justice named him as a respondent together with 33 others to a malversation case related to the pork barrel scam.
Just last week, Aquino also accepted the resignation of Local Water Utilities Administration acting chairman Rene Villa, who had admitted being the lawyer of Napoles when he was still in the private sector. — RSJ/KG/YA, GMA News
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