22 September, 2017
INFORMATION and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima has offered to resign due to "personal" and "work-related" issues, Malacañang confirmed on Thursday.
The President, who visited the war-torn city for the fifth time Thursday as state offensives against terrorists wrapped up, said Salalima submitted his resignation letter Wednesday night.
"As of this date, there is no official word from the Office of the Executive Secretary as to whether the President has accepted Secretary Salalima's offer to resign", Abella said in a message.
Malacañang earlier said Salalima resigned citing "personal and work-related reasons".
Last month, The STAR reported that two Cabinet members are on the way out because of "conflict of interest".
He started his career in the ICT as board director and corporate and chief counsel of Radio Communications of the Philippines (RCPI) and as vice president and head of legal and human relations of International Communications Corp.
In a news briefing in Marawi, Duterte said he is likely to accept the resignation of his former classmate at the San Beda College of Law out of delicadeza.
If Salalima ends up leaving Duterte's Cabinet, he would be the 7th to do so.
Vice President Leni Robredo (former housing czar), Peter Laviña (former National Irrigation administrator), and Ismael Sueno (former Local Government Secretary) are the first three officials to quit cabinet posts.
Vice President Leni Robredo resigned from her post as housing czar; Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno was sacked by Duterte; and Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, and Agrarian Secretary Rafael Mariano were rejected by the Commission on Appointments.
