MANILA, Philippines – To stop other Cabinet secretaries from giving conflicting and confusing statements on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Executive Secretary should issue an order mandating that only official presidential spokesmen can speak for the president. 

This was the suggestion of Senator Franklin Drilon to Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday, September 19, given during the Senate budget hearing of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). 

Drilon, who was himself once an executive secretary, told Andanar to ask for the memorandum circular or order from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as soon as possible.

“May I suggest that you get the Executive Secretary to issue an order to all Cabinet members using that statement of the President in the Cabinet meeting and say henceforth only Secretary Andanar, Undersecretary Abella, and probably the Executive Secretary, can speak for and in behalf of the President and tell the rest of the Cabinet, ‘stop talking,’” said Drilon.

The Senator said a written order is necessary to increase chances of Cabinet secretaries following Andanar’s plea during the 6th Cabinet meeting last September 14.

“Unless you translate that in an official written communication, hindi ka papansinin ng kasamahan mo sa Malacañang (your colleagues in Malacañang won’t listen to you),” Drilon told Andanar. 

Andanar had previously said he had appealed to Cabinet secretaries that only he and Abella can give official Palace statements. Secretaries, however, are free to give statements to media concerning their own departments and mandates. The Palace may also assign them to be spokesmen for specific issues they are experts in. (READ: Cab secs can still speak for Duterte, but with Palace go signal – Andanar)

Andanar gave the example of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aquirre speaking about the Senate hearings on the Davao Death Squad and peace process adviser Jesus Dureza speaking during the presentation of released Abu Sayyaf hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad. 

Previously, other Cabinet appointees would answer questions of journalists seeking to clarify Duterte’s statements. These include Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza.

‘Most difficult job’

Drilon’s suggestion was welcomed by Andanar.

“I will immediately call the Executive Secretary to release a memorandum to all of the Cabinet secretaries with regard to what the President agreed to at the Cabinet meeting,” Andanar said during the hearing.

Before giving his suggestion, Drilon shared his observation that there were too many spokespersons speaking for President Duterte.

“We cannot deny the fact that over the past 3 months, ang dami pong nagsasalita para sa Pangulo (there are many speaking for the President) and I think your job Mr Secretary is one of the most difficult jobs in the government today,” said Drilon. 

He said Andanar should try harder to instil “message discipline” in official Palace communications by limiting the number of spokespersons.

Senator Loren Legarda, herself a former journalist, suggested that Cabinet secretaries have a standard reply to reporters asking for Palace statements.

“You know, they can just have one standard answer: ‘I defer to the presidential spokesman,’” she said.

In recent weeks, Andanar and the PCOO in general, have come under fire for perceived communication mishaps including conflicting statements on the coverage of Duterte’s declaration of a state of lawless violence, a controversial Official Gazette Facebook post about the late president and strongman Ferdinand Marcos, and the erroneous announcement of the seating plan at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. 

Andanar has apologized for these mishaps and said he is taking criticism on his department “constructively.” – Rappler.com