'Unjustly beleaguered' Cabinet sends Marcos off to Cambodia

President Marcos left Manila yesterday for a three-day state visit to Cambodia and was sent off at the Villamor Air Base by what he acknowledged as “unjustly beleaguered” members of his Cabinet.

- BETHEENA UNITE

The plane carrying the President and his delegation, composed of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, top officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and Presidential Communications Office (PCO), as well as the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), took off at 1:44 p.m.

He designated Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III as government caretakers while he is away.

Before he departed the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for Cambodia, President Marcos made a brief comment to his Cabinet, saying he understood why they might be feeling "unjustly beleaguered." Without explaining further, Marcos also said he hoped their heads had cooled down.