President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III's official transition team will include his defeated running-mate Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and others who are rumored to be his Cabinet picks, reports GMANews.TV.
In fact, Inquirer.net reports that "Aquino has appointed Sen. Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II to lead a high-powered team that will oversee the turnover of power in Malacaņang." The report also revealed that pundits speculate that this move will "strain the relations" between Aquino and Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay.
In an interview with GMANews.TV yesterday (Wednesday, July 16), Edwin Lacierda, Aquino's spokesman, said the president-elect had written a letter to Presidential Management Staff head Elena Bautista-Horn which contained the names of those on his "transition coordination team."
GMANews.TV reported: "Aside from Roxas, other personalities who will compose the team are former Education Secretary Butch Abad and his daughter Julia, who is Aquino's chief of staff; former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima; and incoming Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr." Lacierda said that Ochoa will be the liaison officer between Aquino's camp and Malacaņang.
The team, GMANews.TV explained, is tasked to coordinate arrangements for the inaugural program on June 30, oversee the smooth turnover of Cabinet portfolio positions, and assist in the accounting, receipt, and disposition of relevant records, information, and other equipment.
