Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo has resigned from the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III for a still undetermined reason and the President is considering the resignation, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. confirmed on Saturday.
In a note to reporters, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Ochoa told him that Domingo in deed submitted his resignation, but he did not specify the grounds for the resignation.
“According to Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr., Secretary Gregory Domingo has submitted his resignation to President Aquino and that this is under consideration,” Coloma said, denying speculations that Domingo resigned because he felt “burnt out.”
Hours before the confirmation, even Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte was not aware of the resignation.
“I saw Secretary Domingo a few weeks ago and he did not [mention any plans to resign because he feels burned out]. He didn’t mention anything like that,” Valte said in a radio interview over state-owned Radio Veritas.
Valte agreed that the Trade Department has a big role in all substantive meetings on the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation but she has yet to confirm on the matter.
“I have not been informed of any resignation of any of our Cabinet members,” she said.
President Benigno Aquino III appointed Domingo as DTI secretary on June 30, 2010.
Domingo had served as managing director and treasurer of Chase Manhattan Bank in Manila, and executive director of SM Investments Corp. before he assumed the DTI post.
Earlier, Aquino said that the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Manila in November will focus on economic issues, inclusive growth, among others.