He chose former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno to head the Department of Budget and Management and former national treasurer Leonor Briones to head the Education department. Both Diokno and Briones served under the Estrada administration. Outgoing Maribojoc (Bohol) Mayor Leoncio Evasco finally accepted the position of Secretary to the Cabinet.

Duterte likewise chose University of the Philippines Professor Judy Taguiwalo as Social Welfare secretary; retired Major General Miguel Delfin Lorenzana, the former Special Presidential Representative for Veterans Affairs and Head of the Office Veterans Affairs of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, as Defense secretary; Fortunato dela Peña as Science and Technology secretary; former South Cotabato Gov. Mike Sueño as Interior and Local Government secretary; retired police Director Jaime Morente, Immigration chief; former Marines Captain Nicanor Faeldon, Customs chief; lawyer Cesar Dulay, Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner; Dante Guiran, National Bureau of Investigation director; lawyer Martin Delgra, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chief; Gen. Isidro Lapeña, Philippine Drugs Enforcement Administration chief; Ricardo Jalad, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council head; Edgar Galvante, Land Transportation Office chief; Alex Monteagudo, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) chief; Michael Lloyd Diño, Presidential Adviser for Visayas; and Catalino Cuy, DILG undersecretary.

Other officials previously named were: 1. Emmanuel Piñol, Agriculture secretary 2. Rafael Mariano, Agrarian Reform secretary 3. Alfonso Cusi, Energy secretary 4. Salvador Medialdea, Executive secretary 5. Carlos Dominguez, Finance secretary 6. Perfecto Yasay, Foreign Affairs secretary 7. Vitaliano Aguirre, Justice secretary 8. Silvestre Bello III, Labor secretary 9. Ernesto Pernia, NEDA secretary 10. Mark Villar, Public Works and Highways secretary 11. Leoncio Evasco, Secretary to the Cabinet 12. Judy Taguiwalo, Social Welfare and Development secretary 13. Jose Calida, Solicitor General 14. Salvador Panelo, Press Secretary and spokesman 15. Arthur Tugade, Transportation secretary 16. Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process 17. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., National Security Adviser 18. Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visayas, AFP Chief 19. Chief Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, PNP chief 20. Col. Rolando Bautista, Presidential Security Group chief 21. Andrea Domingo, Pagcor chief.

No compelling reason

Duterte said it is not easy to choose Cabinet members but he assured the nation that his nominees are “all men of honesty and integrity.” Cabinet members are the alter ego of the president. “You must be one whom I trust, whom I confidently work with. These are workers. I know them all,” he said of his nominees. And since Davao is his comfort zone, most of his nominees come from the area. He is even thinking of spending more time in Davao than in Manila.

As for incoming vice president Leni Robredo, Duterte said, “I can see no compelling reason for me to accommodate the vice president.” He does not have in mind a government position to offer Senator Ferdinand R. Romualdez Marcos whom Robredo defeated nor did the latter ask for one. “I know Bongbong Marcos, we are friends. I don’t want to hurt him.” Their friendship dates back to the time of the Marcos presidency where Duterte’s father was a Cabinet member.

Duterte noted that he lost heavily in the Bicol region. He admitted that his putative Cabinet did not undergo the selection process. It was his personal choice, saying earlier that he would ultimately be responsible if something goes wrong. To businessmen, he assured that he would “level the playing field. Hindi ako makikialam. Ang gusto ko lang walang reklamo ang tao.”

Three days Duterte has given members of his Cabinet marching orders, one of which is to limit the release of permits and other document to just three days, whether approved or not. “I don’t want people to spend money to get something from government dahil bayad na kami. Kasama na yan sa bayad. I just want an honesty and good faith in dealing with the public.”

He lamented how people have been spending the night on the pavement in front of some government offices just to make sure that they would be among the first on the line the following day. “If you want to see how abusive this government is, punta kayo at the back of SM. Diyan makikita niyo sa pavement leading to the door, to the gate of the establishment. Makikita mo natutulog lang sila, pati papel at karton,” he said.

Duterte mentioned the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and expressed his frustration over the agency’s failure to keep the queues at a minimum. “That’s how miserable the Filipinos are. Kung ganun, bakit di maglagay ang DFA (ng solution)? What’s the problem? Why do people have to queue for many days? Cause its first come first serve,” the exasperated leader noted. Duterte said the people are already fed up with corruption in government agencies. And that is shown by the mandate that he got.

“That is the message. They don’t want their money to be placed in the pocket of government employees. I was elected by the people to do this job not because they like me.” During the campaign Duterte vowed to go strong against criminality, drugs and corruption in six months.

Bounty

In his fight against drugs, Duterte said he will use the remaining campaign funds as bounty to go after drug lords. He said he will offer P3 million for every drug lord arrested or killed, P2 million for henchmen of drug lords, and P1 million for underlings. He issued a “dead or alive” order for all law enforcers to go after drug lords operating in the country.

“Pagka sinabi kong dead or alive, alam naman nila na pagka-tinaas ang kamay, alive yan. Pagka-lumaban, dapat dead yan. I don’t want to see a dead policeman or agent,” he said. For those in the police force who are involved with drug syndicates, Duterte said he will use the Army to neutralize them.

Don’t destroy my country

Duterte explained that the sweeping orders were made to fulfill promises he made to the people during the campaign. “Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not destroy the youth of the land, our children, because I will kill you,” he said, repeating a statement he often delivered during the campaign.

He also requested the New People‘s Army who abducted Chief Inspector Arnold Ongachen, chief of police of Gov. Generoso town, Davao Oriental, to release the officer. He added that one of his goal is to release all hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf.

Warning to judiciary

He also issued a warning against the reported corruption in the issuance of temporary restraining orders (TRO) in the judiciary. The freewheeling press briefing that followed his first Cabinet meeting lasted for two hours. Meanwhile, while Duterte did not attend his proclamation he assured that he will take his oath before a justice of the Supreme Court.

Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/duterte-lays-down-tough-govt-policy/#rRX4XjwH13HVLXKj.99