By Mario Casayuran
Senator Gregorio B. Honasan II has not confirmed whether or not he has accepted a supposed offer from President Duterte for him to become the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) secretary.
Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
However, a source close to Honasan said the senator is most likely to sit as DICT chief at the end of the year or early next year if the President does not change his mind or does not give it to another.
The source said Honasan wanted to finish his job first in fine-tuning the proposed 2019 P3.757 trillion budget of President Duterte and its approval in late December before accepting the new post.
Honasan, a member of the Senate majority bloc, is now into his second six-year tenure in the Upper House which ends on June 30, 2019.
The Constitution allows a maximum of two consecutive six-year term for a senator.
Honasan, a former Army colonel, is chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee.
He is also a member of the so-called “Macho Bloc” that includes Senate President Vicente C. Sotto Iii and Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
A request for his views or sentiments on the development at DICT has remained unanswered.
At Malacañng, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he is not aware if Duterte indeed offered the post of the DICT to Honsan.
“I was with the President, he has not told me anything about it,” he said.
Unconfirmed reports have been circulating that Honasan will allegedly be sworn in as DICT secretary in January next year, replacing Eliseo Rio who is acting secretary of the agency. (With a report from Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)