MANILA, Philippines – Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said he plans to retire from politics after his 3rd term as Ilocos Norte 1st District representative ends in 2019. But this may change if the administration still wants him on board.

“[I plan to] retire, unless matapos ko ‘yung term ko then they feel I’m still needed. Eh ‘di puwede naman din,” said Fariñas on Tuesday, May 9.

(I plan to retire, unless my term ends and then they feel I’m still needed. I’m open to that.)

Rumors in political circles say the veteran lawmaker is being eyed to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). But Fariñas said he has not been offered any Cabinet post.

“I don’t know. I have not been offered any position in the Cabinet,” said Fariñas. 

He refused to answer when asked if he would accept a Cabinet post if offered by President Rodrigo Duterte.  

The President earlier fired Ismael Sueno as interior secretary over corruption allegations which Sueno denied. Duterte appointed Undersecretary Catalino Cuy as acting DILG chief.

Head to head with Marcos?

Apart from Fariñas, another possible candidate to the DILG post is former senator and defeated vice presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.  

Marcos, who has filed an electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo, said he will be accepting a Cabinet post if offered by President Duterte. (READ: Bongbong Marcos on Cabinet post: I can’t say no to the President) 

Both Fariñas and Marcos hail from Ilocos and had once served as governor of Ilocos Norte.

Since 1998, the Fariñas and Marcos families have either been allies or rivals in Ilocos Norte after the Marcoses returned to the province when patriarch and late dictator Ferdinand Marcos died in exile in 1989.

In 2015, the Marcoses cut ties with Fariñas and dropped him from their “One Ilocos Norte” ticket, prompting Fariñas to run under the Liberal Party last year.

He soon jumped ship to join Duterte’s PDP-Laban party.

Fariñas also recently initiated a probe into Marcos’ sister and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos for the alleged misuse of PP66.45 million worth of tobacco funds. – Rappler.com