EDITORIAL - For Malacañang, it’s hard to say goodbye

Why is it that Malacañang can’t seem to let go of officials without making such a painful mess? Consider what happened to Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. on his way out of his Cabinet post as head of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Consi-der how Malacañang handled the departure of Raul Roco from the Department of Education. You could almost hear a sigh of relief from the Palace when Rene Bañez quit the Bureau of Internal Revenue. And now consider the conflicting statements about Anthony Abad, administrator of the National Food Authority.

The latest word yesterday was that Abad had formally resigned. Since Abad himself announced it to NFA employees in an emotional farewell documented by the press, the announcement must be true. He said he wanted to return to teaching. But over at Malacañang, officials still weren’t sure if Abad had indeed resigned. With cell phones, land lines, fax machines and the Internet, you’d think it would be easy for officials in the country’s seat of power to verify the resignation of the head of a government agency. But the lines of communication to and from Malacañang, it seems, are often jammed.

Over the past months there have been several reports of Abad incurring the ire of and even getting a public scolding from President Arroyo. There were instances when the President couldn’t find NFA rice where the grains were supposed to be sold. There were stacks of rice in danger of rotting in warehouses. Being a political appointee, Abad served at the pleasure of the President. She could have told him any time to leave.

This administration, however, isn’t known for cutting cleanly. Even as Abad announced he was returning to the private sector, Palace officials said he would get another government post. An earlier Palace pronouncement said Abad would get a proverbial kick upstairs.

Some sectors may take comfort in the fact that Abad’s case is less messy than those of Guingona and Roco. The way Malacañang has handled all the controversial departures, however, indicates a vacillating leadership, a weakness at the very top that hardly makes for a strong Republic.