MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he might give a Cabinet post to outgoing Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who lost in his reelection bid in the midterm polls.

“Ito siya nanghinayang ako kay JV. Pero -- well anyway, you are still young. May Cabinet naman diyan kung mag-bakante,” Duterte said during a meeting with the Filipino community in Tokyo, Japan.

Ejercito was among the many officials who joined Duterte in his trip to Tokyo, Japan.

The senator welcomed the President’s pronouncement, saying an offer of a Cabinet post would be hard to refuse.

“It’s an honor to be considered by the President for a Cabinet post. If given the chance it will be hard to say no. If called to serve the President, that means it’s a opportunity to serve the nation once again,” Ejercito said on Twitter.

“More than the hint of offering me a Cabinet post, what moved me is when President Duterte remarked, ‘sayang ito si JV’. Being appreciated by the President no less is an honor,” he added.

If Duterte will make good on his plan to give Ejercito a Cabinet post, the outgoing lawmaker will have to wait one year due to the appointment ban on losing election candidates.

Ejercito placed 13th in the Senate race after garnering 14,313,727 votes.