‘Ideal woman’Despite her long track record in government, some people believed Puyat was handpicked by the President as tourism secretary because of his fondness of her. Mr. Duterte once said she was his “ideal woman.”The President dashed all innuendos in a speech during the inauguration of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in June. “When he’s with us, he is very respectful,” she said of Mr. Duterte. Mr. Duterte had also had harsh words for detained Senator Leila de Lima, ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and retired Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales. Not sickPuyat defended Mr. Duterte from critics who said he was sick and could no longer do the responsibilities of a President.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 29, 2018 20:15 UTC