Roxas appointment calculated decision — Reyes

Manila: The recent appointment by President Benigno Aquino of his top political ally to the interior department post, has more to do about laying the groundwork for the 2013 elections “than anything else.”

Renato M. Reyes, Jr., secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance), said partisan political interest had been the prime consideration in the president’s decision to name erstwhile transport secretary Mar Roxas to the post of Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG).

The decision “has more to do with the upcoming 2013 elections than anything else”, Reyes said.

The DILG is one of the strategic Cabinet positions. It is charged with overseeing and funding and managing the various local government braches across the country, from the level of governors and mayors to village-level executive and legislative units.

Roxas, who ran for the post of vice-president in the 2010 elections, lost to Jejomar Binay the who leads the nominal political opposition in the country, the United Nationalist Alliance or UNA.

“It seems the Liberal Party has gotten the upper hand on this one. It wants control of a department that has strategic value for the upcoming 2013 elections and eventually the 2016 elections. The partisan political motivation of Roxas’ appointment is too obvious to ignore. It also says a lot about the appointing power, President Benigno Aquino,” Reyes said.

“The perception is that his appointment is intended to give the Liberal Party an undue advantage in the upcoming polls,” Reyeas said as he called on Roxas to “take a leave from the Liberal Party at least up until after the 2013 elections, though it is highly unlikely he will”.

“The appointment of Roxas is the ultimate ‘trapo’ (traditional politics) manoeuvre courtesy of Mr Aquino. How sad and ironic that after the President praised Robredo for being anti-trapo, now comes this appointment which has all the trademarks of traditional politics,” Reyes added.

Roxas replaced the late interior secretary Jesse Robredo who died last month in a plane crash in Masbate province that also killed two other people.

A politician unconventional by Filipino standards, Robredo had been revered for his approach to delivering governance that is effective as well as morally upright.

Reyeas said the post of DILG chief would have influence over the police and local government units, which could be a crucial advantage in swinging otes for 2013.

“The so-called daang matuwid [straight path] has been trumped anew by narrow, partisan politics. It’s the LP show now,” Reyes added.

“Daang Matuwid” was the rallying call of Aquino when he ran for president.