Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. has been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new Housing Secretary following the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo.

Duterte accepted Robredo's resignation from his Cabinet on Monday.

Evasco informed Robredo via SMS of Duterte's instruction telling her to "desist from attending from all cabinet meetings" starting Dec.5.

Evasco earlier confirmed that he sent Robredo a text message of Duterte’s instructions, saying he was trying to call the Vice President but there was no answer.

“I called her up first but there was no response then I text her with a message for her to desist attending cabinet meetings starting tomorrow, Dec. 5, 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” he said.

Evasco, however, clarified that there was no instruction to terminate Robredo from her post.

“Wala naman instruction from her to be terminated sa position niya. Whatever position she will take in the future will be her prerogative,” he said.

He added that if officials cannot “jibe” with Duterte, then they better resign.

“If they cannot just jibe with what the President is doing, they cannot support what the President is doing, then they have to resign,” he said.