The call for peace is everyone’s desire and it has become more urgent in the present state of calamity and public health emergency.

The Palace expresses its sincerest gratitude to former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia for his valuable contribution to the Philippine economy. Sec. Pernia formed part of the President’s Economic Team which steered the country’s strongest economic growth since the mid -1970s.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the latest incident in Patikul, Sulu, where members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) believed to be under ASG leader Radullan Sahiron and Hatib Hadjan Sawadjaan attacked government troops resulting in a firefight, which left 11 soldiers killed and 14 wounded. This is our government troops’ second encounter with the same terrorist group; the first one, on April 16, wounded three soldiers.

The Palace confirms that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has accepted the resignation of Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto Pernia who resigned due to personal reasons; and has appointed Department of Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua as Acting NEDA Secretary.

The Palace confirms that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has offered the position of Presidential Spokesperson to Atty. Harry Roque who, in turn, has accepted the same.

The Palace condemns in the strongest terms the reported incident of members of the New People’s Army (NPA) robbing relief goods or forcibly collecting foodstuff at Northern and Eastern Samar, thereby causing a shortage thereof for intended beneficiaries.

An allegation from a media broadcaster that the government, through the Department of Health (DOH), has ordered a certain hospital in Metro Manila to stop counting the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has, like any false news, spread.

We are sad to hear that Sec. Leonor Briones is COVD-19 positive. We are praying that she gets healed from this dreadful disease. Sec. Briones has been an indefatigable and conscientious member of the Cabinet. As expected and as announced by her, she will continue to perform her duties as Education Secretary while in isolation and despite her present illness. Salvador S. Panelo Chief Presidential Legal Counsel & Presidential Spokesperson

The Palace confirms that many of the members of the President’s cabinet have pledged to cut 75% of their monthly salaries from the month of April to December of this year. Others have volunteered a salary deduction for the whole duration of the state of public health emergency in solidarity with our countrymen and to help in the government efforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

The firing of PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna by PRRD following the former’s public statement asking the NBI to investigate VP Leni Robredo for her alleged solicitation of funds and for allegedly competing with government efforts against COVID-19 demonstrates the President’s intolerance to abusive, arrogant and incompetent government officials, apart from the corrupt ones, as well as consistent with his decisive action against errant public servants.