Aquino Ousts Minister, Keeps Him as Adviser

President Corazon Aquino today removed a minister who had been criticized by the Philippine military as a leftist but kept him in her Cabinet as her national affairs adviser.

As local government minister, Aquilino Pimentel had the power to appoint or remove any local or provincial official, and the military objected to many of his decisions.

Pimentel told reporters his ouster had resulted from pressure by officers linked to ex-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and “possibly” Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel V. Ramos.

“I told the president that if blood must be spilled, let it be mine, not hers,” he said, adding that his removal should ease some demands from the army.

More Changes Coming

Aquino appointed Jaime Ferrer, a former member of Parliament, to Pimentel’s previous job.

She said in a nationally televised speech tonight that she would make more changes after additional consultations.

Aquino had been expected to also dismiss controversial Labor Minister Augusto Sanchez. She apparently withheld an announcement after consultations with labor leaders and businessmen failed to produce agreement on a replacement.

Businessmen want Sanchez out because of his pro-labor policies and a rash of strikes that have hit factories in the past few months. The military opposes him as a leftist.

The president began the revamping of her 25-member Cabinet 10 days ago when she ousted Enrile, who had frequently criticized her policies and was rumored to have considered staging a coup.

She then dismissed Natural Resources Minister Ernesto Maceda, a close friend of her late husband Benigno, and Public Works Minister Rogaciano Mercado. Both their ministries had been embroiled in corruption scandals.

Referring to his retention in the Cabinet, Pimentel said, “The president has continued trust and faith in my ability to give counsel to her.”

Pimentel has been a close adviser of Aquino and is a power in southern Philippines politics.