Former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez has confirmed that he has completely left the Marcos administration.
"I confirm that I have completely exited the administration of President (Ferdinand) Bongbong Marcos, after having spoken to him at length about my wish to spend most of my time with my family...a very personal decision that was happily made," he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
This came after new Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed on Oct. 4 that Rodriguez is "no longer a member of the Cabinet" since he resigned from his post in September.
When Rodriguez announced his resignation in September, an administrative order designating him to be a presidential chief of staff came into the picture. But the said order, according to Bersamin, does not exist and was never a subject of conversation when he assumed the post vacated by the former.
Rodriguez, in his statement, also addressed lingering questions behind his resignation.
"As for my continued silence on matters related to my previous position as the executive secretary, the fundamental reason for this is the fact that all communications that have transpired between the President and myself are absolutely privileged, something which I shall continue to honor in full recognition of and respect to both the Office of the President and the Office of the Executive Secretary," he said.
"I have been ridiculed, maligned and subjected to baseless and unfair commentaries on all conceivable platforms, but I take solace in the legal aphorism, 'Men in public life may suffer under a hostile or unjust accusation; the wound can be assuaged with the balm of a clear conscience'," he added.
The lawyer, who was also the President's spokesperson during his campaign period, said he will continue to serve the country as a private citizen and support Marcos.