1st LD Writethru: Philippines' Duterte names new secretary of foreign affairs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Wednesday the appointment of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as the country's new foreign secretary.

"In the Department of Foreign Affairs, I remember I signed an appointment just before I left my room and I saw the name of Senator Cayetano," Duterte told a news conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Asked if he signed the appointment paper already, Duterte said he signed it Wednesday afternoon before he left the Malacanang presidential palace for the airport.

Cayetano, 46, a politician and a staunch ally of the president, was Duterte's running mate in the May 2016 elections.

Cayetano has been a lawmaker since 1998 when he was first elected in the House of Representatives. In July 2007, he was elected as member of the Senate. His term ends in 2019.

Cayetano is the third in the family to become a lawmaker. His father, Renato, was senator from 1998 to 2003, and his sister Pia was elected senator in 2004.

Currently, his wife Maria Laarni serves as mayor of Taguig City in Metro Manila. She was also a former member of the House of Representatives.

On March 9, Duterte named Enrique Manalo, a seasoned career diplomat, as new acting foreign secretary, barely a day after the Commission on Appointments rejected the appointment of Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay over citizenship issue.

Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella said that Manalo, then a foreign undersecretary, will hold the position until Duterte names a new foreign secretary.

Duterte left for Cambodia on Wednesday to attend the World Economic Forum in Phnom Penh. Endit