Medialdea is executive secretary, Panelo is spokesman

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Lawyer Salvador Medialdea will be the new executive secretary, while another lawyer, Salvador Panelo, will be the presidential spokesman in the incoming Duterte administration.

This was announced by president-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, May 16, exactly one week after the May 9 presidential elections. 

Medialdea, more commonly known as Bingbong, is part of the transition committee that was formed by Duterte to vet appointees to government. It was he who filed Duterte’s certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections in November 2015.

Panelo, on the other hand, was Duterte’s lawyer who defended him against charges by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that the president-elect had huge bank deposits that he did not declare in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. 

A known ally of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, it was Panelo who posted photos of him and other Duterte volunteers at the birthday celebration of Mrs Arroyo in April this year.

Duterte also named Peter Laurel, president of the Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, as his education secretary.

Laurel is the nephew of former vice president Salvador “Doy” Laurel and son of former senator Sotero Laurel. Lyceum was founded by the Laurel family. 

Duterte’s longtime friend, Jesus Dureza, will be the new chairman of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. (READ: List of who’s who in the incoming Duterte cabinet) – with reports from Pia Ranada in Davao City/Rappler.com