President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signaled he is open to bringing former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos back into government in an official capacity, but stressed that doing so would not come at the expense of any sitting Cabinet member.
Speaking to reporters in Kazan, Russia, Marcos was direct about his regard for Abalos and the informal support the former official has continued to provide.
“Okay. I’ll be very candid. I’ll be very frank with you. Of course, I want Benhur to play a more active role in government. Of course, he has been there, and he has been helping us in many ways, informally, privately,” the President said.
“I wouldn’t mind finding a way for him to help us in an official capacity. But just because we want him to join, to become, to play a more active part in government doesn’t necessarily mean that somebody else has to be [removed],” he added.
The remarks followed reports that Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla could be on his way out, with Abalos floated as his replacement. Marcos rejected that scenario outright.
The President framed his position around continuity, arguing that frequent personnel changes disrupt the work of governance.
“You know the — what you want to do — what you are trying to promote in government is stability and the steadiness of work. And that’s part — that’s an important part of governance,” he said.
“If you keep moving people around, they have to start learning their job again. And that they — we just don’t have time for that. And this — the people who are sitting in their particular capacities, be it Cabinet, be it some other agency — are, as far as I’m concerned, doing the job that they are asked to do and have gained already the experience that they have learned lessons from,” he added.
Marcos described his Cabinet as a “really good group” and said the officials around him are working well together.
Abalos had stepped down from the Department of the Interior and Local Government in October 2024 to run for the Senate under the administration’s coalition in the 2025 midterm elections, ultimately placing 16th in the race.
Pressed on why the reshuffle talk persists, Marcos said the matter has never surfaced in his Cabinet’s discussions.
“I don’t see why you keep talk — why does this subject keep coming up? Because I have to tell you, when we sit around the table in meetings, we don’t talk about that,” he said.
