Aquino Picks Moderate for Foreign Affairs

MANILA —  President Corazon Aquino, citing “this critical period of transition,” today named a moderate senator with close ties to the military and the United States as foreign secretary.

Raul Manglapus, who wrote books at Harvard and Cornell universities while in exile during the rule of ousted leader Ferdinand E. Marcos, fills the vacancy created by last month’s stormy departure of Vice President Salvador Laurel from the Cabinet.

Manglapus, 68, is expected to restore professionalism to the foreign affairs department after Laurel’s controversial tenure.

Laurel has joined forces with opposition leader Juan Ponce Enrile in a loose alliance aimed at removing Aquino from power.

Manglapus has agreed to step down from the Senate, creating a vacancy that “may” be filled in a special election under the new constitution proclaimed Feb. 2, Aquino said. Manglapus was one of 22 members of the pro-Aquino coalition in the 24-member Senate.

“I asked Senator Manglapus to take the extraordinary, although not unprecedented, step of resigning from the Senate in joining my Cabinet because in this, our critical period of transition, the nation needs a man of exceptional ability, dedication, intelligence and experience to guide our foreign relations,” Aquino said. “He is the Filipino who today most eminently presented those qualities.”

Considered a Moderate

Manglapus, a law professor who also taught at American University in Washington, is considered a moderate but enjoys close ties with the military. During his two-month sojourn in the Senate, he headed the committees on defense and national security and on science and technology.

Manglapus said after a briefing of lawmakers by armed forces chief Gen. Fidel Ramos that most were convinced Aquino’s 19-month-old government can counter the threats from both the 23,000-man communist New People’s Army and rightist forces led by renegade Col. Gregorio Honasan without resorting to martial law.

“There is absolutely no need for martial law or the suspension of the writ (against illegal detention) or anything of that kind,” Manglapus said.