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Wednesday, January 08, 2003
Braganza is new press secretary
MANILA -- President Arroyo officially appointed agrarian reform chief Hernani Braganza to the top spot of the Office of the Press Secretary in a continuing personnel reshuffle Tuesday.
"He (Braganza) will assume office as soon as he shall have straightened out his affairs at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). He is expected to take over sometime next week," Bunye said.
According to Bunye, the other members in President Arroyo's official family welcome Braganza's appointment as chief information officer.
"We know him to be a professional and a team player. And we will maintain good working arrangements to ensure adequate media access and to facilitate coverage of events," Bunye said.
But some sources inside the Presidential Palace predict a rough ride for Braganza in his new post.
They said the new press secretary's management style does not sit well with Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao and Press Undersecretary Roberto Capco.
Braganza has reportedly earned a reputation for being a roughneck during his stint in the agrarian reform department.
Just recently, Braganza engaged Nueva Ecija Rep. Raul Villareal in a verbal tussle over the department's budget.
It was not clear who would fill Braganza's spot in the agrarian reform office.
Prior to Braganza's appointment Monday, Capco reportedly said in interviews that Roilo Golez, Arroyo's security adviser, was being considered as Bunye's replacement. Braganza then was reportedly still undecided about President Arroyo's offer.
Capco, however, said he was supportive of Arroyo's appointment of Braganza.
The press office is, in fact, preparing to brief Braganza on the current activities of the unit, added Capco.
Speaking in support of Capco's claim, other sources in Malacaņang said it was Arroyo who asked Tiglao and Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo to speak to other possible candidates apart from Braganza.
Bunye, meanwhile, defended Braganza over criticisms he is facing graft cases before the Ombudsman. The complainants in the case, which stemmed from the alleged P50 million Braganza spent in June last year to celebrate the department's anniversary, are agrarian reform employees.
"That's a judgment call of the President and we support her. He is a professional and we will maintain good working arrangements to ensure adequate media access and to facilitate media coverage of events," Bunye told reporters.
As far as Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando is concerned, Bunye said there is no official word yet on whether he accepted the public works and highways portfolio.
Bunye also said in a radio interview that the President would make an "important major announcement this week."
He refused to elaborate on what this would be about, but hinted there would be more new faces in Arroyo's Cabinet.
Arroyo has been reshuffling her cabinet since announcing December 30 she would not seek a second term in the 2004 elections so as to concentrate on her political and economic reforms.
On Monday, Tiglao resigned as government spokesman to spend more time helping the president implement such reforms in the remaining 18 months of her term.
Last week, Arroyo replaced justice secretary Hernando Perez with former public workers secretary Simeon Datumanong after the former resigned amid opposition allegations of graft.
Braganza, prior to his appointment as DAR secretary, served as a congressman of the first district of Pangasinan for two consecutive terms.
He graduated from De La Salle University in 1984 with a degree in history and political science. He was an active student activist, having served as National Chairman of the National Union of Students of the Philippines. Joshua Dancel |
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