Hagedorn now anti-jueteng czar

Reiterating her resolve not to resign but to instead continue to improve her governance, President Arroyo designated yesterday Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn as concurrent anti-jueteng chief to strengthen the government’s fight against corruption and illegal gambling.

Hagedorn, however, reportedly turned down the position to avoid holding a "dual position" in government and in order to take care of his wife who has been suffering from a serious ailment.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the designation would stay since Hagedorn would not have a dual position and would not be required to give up the mayorship.

"The arrangement was made between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the local government unit of Puerto Princesa. We do not have any information about the wife," Bunye said in a text message to The STAR.

The appointment of Hagedorn and that of Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Romeo Brawner as new elections commissioner to take the place of the controversial Virgilio Garcillano, who had been bypassed by the Commission on Appointments a number of times, were the two important designations regarding governance the President had made recently.

"People ask, can I govern? Yes, I can govern and I am governing whereas our opponents can only sit down and raise controversies at the expense of our poor because they seek to turn down our society. If they seek to turn down our society, that’s their problem. It is not our problem because we continue to work on governance and continue to work for the poor," the President said in a speech in Malacañang. — Aurea Calica