Maribojoc mayor Evasco to meet Duterte on Cabinet Secretary offer

While he does not want to abandon Duterte, Mayor Leoncio Evasco said he has yet to discuss the offer of the Cabinet Secretary post with him. (Facebook photo)

DAVAO CITY – The national campaign manager of presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent Mayor of Maribojoc town in Bohol is committed to help the incoming administration realize “change” but whether to accept the Cabinet Secretary post remains to be seen.

While he does not want to abandon Duterte, Mayor Leoncio Evasco said he has yet to discuss the offer with him. Evasco has been serving Duterte’s administration since the first term of the 20 years of Duterte’s mayorship in this city.

As Cabinet Secretary, the main mandate is to provide technical support to the Cabinet and primary advisory counsel to the President.

Evasco, who is expected to visit the city this week, said he could not decide on the offer yet until he talks to Duterte.

“I am happy that he still trusted me but I need to talk to him first… I would want to help him because all of us conceived the real change especially for the poor to happen under his administration,” said Evasco.

“Basi muingon siya na human ko nimo gipadaog di ko nimo tabangan. Protektahan nato ang iyahang administrasyon. (He might say that after you made me win you will not help me. Let us protect his administration),” he added.

It was reported earlier that Evasco was chosen as the next Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) but refused to accept it. He clarified, however, that there was nothing to refuse because the DILG post was not offered to him.

On Monday night, Duterte said Evasco has limitations for the DILG post, as he cited Evasco’s past as a communist and former priest that “limited” his horizon.

Duterte said he wanted Evasco to remember why he offered the Secretary to the Cabinet post and that is “for the good of the country and for his own good.”