Vic Rodriguez (lawyer) explained

Victor Dayrit Rodriguez
Birth Name:Victor Dayrit Rodriguez
Birth Date:23 December 1973
Nationality:Filipino
Party:Independent (2022–present)
Otherparty:Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (until 2022)
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Lawyer
Alma Mater:University of Santo Tomas (LL.B)
Honorific Prefix:The Honourable
Office1:Punong Barangay of Sacred Heart, Quezon City
Termstart1:1992
Termend1:1996
Office:39th Executive Secretary of the Philippines
Ad Interim
Termstart:June 30, 2022
Termend:September 17, 2022
Predecessor:Salvador Medialdea
Successor:Lucas Bersamin
President:Bongbong Marcos

Victor Dayrit Rodriguez[1] (born December 23, 1973)[2] is a Filipino lawyer who served as the Executive Secretary from June to September 2022 in the administration of 17th President Bongbong Marcos, and previously served as Marcos' campaign spokesperson.[3] He was also the executive vice president and general campaign manager of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas during the Marcos 2022 campaign.[4]

Education

Rodriguez attended the University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he obtained his law degree. He also had executive education at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Negotiation and Influence Program.[2]

Career

Rodriguez is a lawyer and was involved in various law organizations. He is the managing lawyer of Rodriguez & Partners Law Firm which he helped establish in 2003.[5] He is also president of Quezon City Trial Lawyers League, and was treasurer of the UST Law Alumni Foundation (USTLAFI). He was also deputy general counsel of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.[2]

He was first elected as a barangay kagawad of Sacred Heart, Quezon City before being elected as its barangay captain at age 19 and became the youngest person to hold the position.[6] [7] He joined the Quezon City government in 2002 after his one-decade tenure as barangay captain,[8] and was appointed special assistant to the chief of the Business Permits and Licensing Office by then Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. He then became officer in charge of the city's Community Relations Office.[5]

Rodriguez co-founded the tabloid Saksi Ngayon with Antonio Lagdameo Jr.[5]

2022 Marcos presidential campaign

Rodriguez served as spokesperson and chief of staff of then-candidate Bongbong Marcos during his presidential campaign in the 2022 elections.[5] After Marcos won the presidency, Rodriguez became part of lead the transition team to help Marcos build the initial composition of his cabinet.[9] [10]

Executive Secretary

Rodriguez relinquished his role as Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson in preparation for his role as President Bongbong Marcos's Executive Secretary.[2] [5]

Embattled by controversies relating to his roles in the sugar importation order fiasco and contentious appointments of some government officials,[11] Rodriguez resigned on September 17, 2022, after less than three months in his position, but continued on in the role of Presidential Chief of Staff; Rodriguez cited the need to spend more time with his family.[12] Rodriguez unsuccessfully attempted to give himself additional powers as the Presidential Chief of Staff after Marcos rejected his plan upon the recommendation of Marcos' Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.[13]

Post-cabinet

In November 2022, Marcos' political party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), expelled Rodriguez as its executive vice president, citing "loss of trust and confidence" and "acts inimical to the party". Upon learning about it, Marcos did not object to the expulsion. The PFP blamed Rodriguez for the unsuccessful presidential appointment of PFP members, remarking Rodriguez was "supposed to be our champion in the appointments process". In response, Rodriguez said he could not allow an unqualified applicant be appointed just because he or she is a PFP member; Rodriguez added: "My loyalty to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas ends where the interest of the 31.6 million Filipinos who believed in us during the campaign, and my loyalty to the Republic of the Philippines begins".

On January 28, 2024, Rodriguez spoke at a protest in Davao City against proposals to amend the Constitution of the Philippines that was being supported by officials within the Marcos administration, saying that he felt responsible for the developments as he had convinced many voters to elect Marcos as president. Rodriguez said that he was invited to the event by Leoncio Evasco Jr., the cabinet secretary of Marcos' predecessor as president, Rodrigo Duterte.[14]

On April 16, 2024, Rodriguez told Marcos Jr., to take a "credible hair follicle drug testing" to end all accusations that he is an illegal drug user, especially since Rodrigo Duterte publicly said that Marcos is always "bangag."[15] [16]

Kingmaker: The Hardcopy

In July 2024, a book authored by newsman Gerry Lirio, "Kingmaker: The Hardcopy", was launched, detailing Rodriguez' personal experiences during his 79 days working as Executive Secretary (ES) under the Bongbong Marcos administration. In the book, Rodriguez recounts how his relationship with Marcos' wife, First Lady Liza Araneta, soured after Araneta began inserting her influence in government agencies that generate revenue and wanted power over military appointments. Rodriguez also stated Araneta allegedly accused him of wiretapping her using the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). As a result of these issues, Rodriguez said he was forced to resign as Marcos' ES.[17] [18]

Notes and References

  1. News: Casayuran . Mario . CA bypasses 14 presidential appointees . October 1, 2022 . Manila Bulletin . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221001201415/https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/28/ca-bypasses-14-presidential-appointees/ . October 1, 2022.
  2. News: Marcos' chief of staff nominated as executive secretary . June 19, 2022 . Philippine News Agency . May 22, 2022 . en.
  3. News: Tamayo . Bernadette E. . Federal party eyes Marcos as head . October 6, 2021 . The Manila Times . September 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210920193157/https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/09/20/news/national/federal-party-eyes-marcos-as-head/1815384 . September 20, 2021.
  4. Web site: Marcos' political party expels ex-ES Rodriguez. https://web.archive.org/web/20221122092737/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/11/22/vic-rodgriguez-pfp-expulsion.html. dead. November 22, 2022. CNN Philippines. November 22, 2022. November 22, 2022.
  5. News: Valente . Catherine . Rodriguez to play key role as 'little President' . June 19, 2022 . The Manila Times . June 13, 2022 . en.
  6. News: QC village execs hail ES Vic Rodriguez. Ryan Ponce. Pacpaco. June 24, 2022. July 6, 2022. Journal News.
  7. News: Vic Rodriguez. Tony. Lopez. June 29, 2022. July 6, 2022. Manila Standard.
  8. News: Liga ng mga Barangay sa Quezon City, nagbigay pagkilala kay Executive Secretary designate Atty. Vic Rodriguez. Radyo Pilipinas Uno. Jaymark. Dagala. June 24, 2022. July 6, 2022.
  9. Web site: May 12, 2022 . Marcos camp assumes victory, forms transition team . May 13, 2022 . ABS-CBN News.
  10. News: May 13, 2022 . Marcos camp says Abalos to head DILG, names UniTeam transition team members . . May 13, 2022.
  11. News: Arcilla . Gigie . ‘Little prexy’ quits as ES, named CoS . September 20, 2022 . . September 17, 2022 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/buuv9 . September 20, 2022.
  12. News: Michelle. Abad . September 17, 2022 . Vic Rodriguez resigns as executive secretary . September 17, 2022 . Rappler . en-US.
  13. News: Valente . Catherine S. . JPE thwarts Rodriguez bid to get more power . September 20, 2022 . The Manila Times . September 18, 2022 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/dt0FO . September 20, 2022 . en.
  14. News: Baste Duterte to Marcos Jr.: 'Resign if you do not have love for country' . January 28, 2024 . ABS-CBN . January 28, 2024 .
  15. News: Piatos. Tiziana . Former palace exec tells Marcos to take 'credible hair follicle drug test' . April 18, 2024 . . April 16, 2024.
  16. News: Rita . Joviland. Ex-ES Vic Rodriguez urges Marcos to undergo 'credible' drug test. April 18, 2024 . . April 16, 2024.
  17. News: Jabadan . Rodini Bing R. . Digong: Rodriguez’s book a must-read for Filipinos . 11 July 2024 . The Nation Week . 9 July 2024 . https://archive.today/20240711191559/https://thenationweek.com/2024/07/10/digong-rodriguezs-book-a-must-read-for-filipinos/ . 11 July 2024.
  18. News: Mondejar . M. J. . Former ES Vic Rodriguez’s book details First Lady Liza Marcos’ alleged government interference . 11 July 2024 . . 5 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240706185913/https://smninewschannel.com/former-es-vic-rodriguezs-book-details-first-lady-liza-marcos-alleged-government-interference/ . 6 July 2024.