NEW FOREIGN SECRETARY. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs. File photo by Mark Cristino/AFP

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is the new Foreign Secretary, President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Wednesday, May 10.

Duterte made the announcement before he left for Cambodia to attend a World Economic Forum event. Asked who will be the next DFA chief in a pre-departure news briefing, the President said he signed some appointments before he left his office.

“I saw the name of Senator Cayetano sa (in the) DFA. Ngayong hapon lang na ito (It’s just this afternoon),” he said.

Cayetano, Duterte’s running mate in the 2016 election, has previously been eyed as either foreign affairs or justice secretary, but was barred from being appointed due to the one-year ban on candidates being given posts in government, which just lapsed.

He will replace Foreign Undersecretary Enrique Manalo, who was appointed Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary when Perfecto Yasay Jr, Duterte’s first pick as the country’s chief diplomat, was rejected by the Commission on Appointments for lying about his American citizenship.

More details soon. – Rappler.com