In a statement, Lagman said Roque was already “expanding his turf as incoming presidential spokesman even before he officially assumes office.”ADVERTISEMENTLagman said it was the justice secretary’s role, and not the spokesperson’s, to advise the President on human rights issues. “The presidential spokesman is the President’s alter ego after the fact, not a precursor of the fact… According to Roque, he accepted the position of spokesman in order to advise the President on human rights issues, which is the jurisdiction of the secretary of justice,” Lagman said. “The presidential spokesman is the President’s mouthpiece, not his volunteer adviser on human rights and other policy concerns,” he said. “The role of a spokesman is to incant, elaborate or moderate the President’s pronouncements, not to mold the Chief Executive’s statements beforehand,” Lagman said. 4, dated July 10, 2010, or “Reorganizing and Renaming the Office of the Press Secretary,” as well as other executive issuances for the legal, specific explanation of the role of a presidential spokesperson.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 29, 2017 23:03 UTC