New appointments to Marcos Cabinet

New appointments to the Cabinet of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. were announced. They are: former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as presidential legal counsel; outgoing Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra as solicitor general; and former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. as officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense. 

Enrile, 98, who was instrumental to the downfall of the Marcoses in 1986, has turned into a staunch supporter of the family and vowed to “devote [his] time and knowledge for the republic and for the [incoming president,]” according to incoming press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles. 

Enrile is facing plunder charges and is currently out on bail for humanitarian reasons. 

Guevarra, 68, meanwhile, is a Cabinet official of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte who will get a new post in next administration. Guevarra said he preferred the post of solicitor general owing to his 25-year law practice. He added that being justice secretary required a lot of administrative work. 

“Ten years ago, I was offered both the SOJ and OSG positions. Maybe the time wasn’t ripe then. Now, everything’s coming back to me. It’s the hand of God at work. Ecclesiastes,” he said. 

As SolGen, one of his responsibilities is to be legal counsel to the Presidential Commission on Good Government that seeks the return of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth. 

In his role as Justice Secretary, Guevarra admitted that sometimes his actions were “not consistent” with Duterte’s policies, particularly on the President’s war on drugs which the DOJ reviewed for lapses and abuses. 

Guevarra said he prevailed over Duterte, as the outgoing chief executive “agreed with the view that the war on illegal drugs was not perfect. There were deficiencies and abuses in its conduct.” 

On the other hand, Faustino, 56, would temporarily sit as senior undersecretary of the DND in the new administration while awaiting the one-year ban on the appointment of retired military officers. Faustino retired on November 12 last year. 

Outgoing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomed Faustino’s selection, saying he will “hit the ground running.” 

Lorenzana said, “I am confident that with his years of dedicated service as a military officer, Gen. Faustino will continue the Department’s momentum in our internal security and external defense operations, as well as the modernization of the armed forces and the entire defense organization.”