INFORMATION and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima has offered to resign due to "personal" and "work-related" issues, Malacañang confirmed on Thursday.
"Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima of the DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] has tendered his letter of resignation to the President, citing personal and work-related reasons," said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
The Palace spokesperson added there is no official word from the Office of the Executive Secretary as to whether President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted Salalima's offer to resign.
In a press conference during his fifth visit to Marawi City on Thursday, the President also confirmed Salalima's resignation.
Duterte said he was now scouting for someone who would replace Salalima in the DICT.
Salalima is the fourth official to quit the Duterte cabinet.
Vice President Leni Robredo (former housing czar), Peter Laviña (former National Irrigation administrator), and Ismael Sueno (former Local Government Secretary) are the first three officials to quit cabinet posts.
Salalima was appointed by Duterte as DICT Secretary on June 22, 2016 and took oath on June 30 the same year.
Salalima spent his excellence in the field of law and telecommunications for 40 years.
Prior to his appointment as head of DICT, he held various key positions in the telecommunications industry.
During his stint as DICT Secretary, the creation of national broadband plan he pitched to the President was approved in March this year. (SunStar Philippines)