Newly-appointed chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno will officially start performing duties on Monday. His predecessor Mabel S. Acosta, meantime, has gone to court for a quo warranto action.
Magno met with the department heads of MinDA in his first-ever meeting at the agency’s office at Pryce Tower in Davao City after assuming the post as the new chair replacing Mabel S. Acosta on Friday.
He said that he is glad to know that MinDA is functioning well despite the “power struggle” happening in the agency.
“Nag-umpisa tayong makinig at nagpa-brief kung ano ang ginagawa ng iba’t ibang departamento dito sa MinDA. I am internalizing the different functions and I have learned that MinDA has indicated in its charter is, I’d like to give credit to Sec. Mabel, that it is a functioning office. Magagaling yung mga tao, and we promised to start on Monday,” Magno told the media.
Magno said it is among his goals to implement all the plans of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in Mindanao. He said many projects are being laid out and he will help in lobbying the plans for Mindanao to its realization.
Meanwhile, Acosta on Friday afternoon told the media that she already filed a quo warranto petition in court. She did not divulge the details saying she would let her team of lawyers do their work.
“At ano ang legal na paraan para palitan ang secretary ng MinDA? Seguro pag namatay automatic vacant ang position, kung nag resign automatic vacant ang position. Halimabawa may anomalya na ginawa, hindi rin puwedeng tanggalin ng basta basta dahil meron tayong tinatawag na due process. Ang tanong meron ba akong kaso?” she said in a press conference held at her office in the 14th floor of the same building.
Acosta reacted to Magno holding a meeting with the department heads of MinDA.
“It is unfortunate at the moment, dalawa ang secretary ng MinDA. Bakit dalawa? Because the post is not vacant, andito pa po ako. How can you replaced me if I am still here working. Naawa ako sa staff ng MinDA kasi naiipit sila sa sitwasyon na ito at nakakahiya rin sa diplomatic community at sa buong Mindanao at sa BIMP-Eaga kung bakit nagkaroon ng dalawang secretary ang MinDA,” she said.
Furthermore, when asked if she already talked with Magno, Acosta said the latter doesn’t talk to her face-to-face.
“I remembered it was Friday last week, tumawag siya sa phone but I was on board a plane from Manila going to Davao. Sabi niya “madam, asa ka karon? Sabi ko I’m on board the plane tapos sabi niya sige madam istorya lang ta pag-abot nimo sa Davao,” she said.
Acosta also belied the report that she did not face the transition team that went to the MinDA office last Friday.
“Hindi yun totoo because I was in Manila. Tinanong ko rin yung security guard, mga tao dito sa MInDA kung meron ba talaga pumunta na transition team, wala naman daw. Pinabubulaanan ko na walang pumunta sa MinDA na transition team or any kind of team from the other side sa MinDA at hindi totoo na hindi ko sila hinarap,” she said.
Acosta said that it would be futile to talk to Magno now considering that he already accepted the appointment.
Magno said he was willing to have a one-on-one talk with Acosta and affirmed that it was his original intention before the news of his appointment came to light.
He said his desire to talk with Acosta remains.
