Duterte camp working on smooth transition from Aquino gov't

Published May 12, 2016, 6:25:45 PM

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Members of the Cabinet of presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte are being chosen as his staff prepares a smooth transition from the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, a spokesman for the Davao City mayor said Thursday (May 12).

Peter Laviña said the transition team is forming a selection advisory committee, breaking down its task into several clusters formed in accordance with governance issues, including economy, social development, infrastructure, and peace and security clusters.

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Sen. Pia Cayetano, sister of Duterte’s defeated running mate, Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, will help the selection committee. She said she will present a list of women qualified to work under the Duterte administration.

"It is important that we have a gender-balanced leadership – that the voice of women are heard, that the concerns of women are addressed at the highest level, because after that it will flow," Cayetano said in a press conference on Thursday.

"Many women are qualified for any position, and I know for a fact that the door is open for all women in this administration.”

Cayetano also made it clear anyone appointed as cabinet secretary will be gender-sensitive.

Duterte's camp shrugs off DQ cases

Laviña also said he doesn’t expect the pending disqualification cases against Duterte to affect his assumption of the presidency.

"There has been a report, and we need to verify, that according to members of the Commission on Elections that because of the decision of our people, the voice of the people has been said, all these cases will have to just die a natural death," Laviña told reporters.

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In February, the First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked the petitions seeking to cancel Duterte’s certificate of candidacy (COC) and disqualify him from the elections.

The Comelec ruled on four petitions that were consolidated into one disqualification case.

The petitions assail the manner by which Duterte entered the presidential race — by substituting for PDP-Laban partymate Martin Diño.

However, two of the petitioners filed an appeal for reconsideration of the decision.

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