MALACAÑANG announced on Monday the reappointments of Special Envoy for International Public Relations Dante A. Ang, chairman emeritus of The Manila Times, and Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Jose C. De Venecia, Jr., the Ramos-era speaker of the House of Representatives.
Other reappointments include Mr. Duterte’s classmate from the San Beda College of Law, Abdullah D. Mama-o, as his Special Envoy to the State of Kuwait, and Special Envoy to the United Nations Children’s Fund Monica P. Teodoro, wife of former defense secretary Gilbert C. Teodoro.
On Sept. 27, Mr. Duterte signed the appointment paper of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Commissioner Datu Ras S. Lidasan, Jr. for a term of four years.
Mr. Duterte also appointed Elpidio J. Vega as new Government Corporate Counsel of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, Department of Justice.
Mr. Vega is taking over the position of Rudolf Philip B. Jurado whom President Rodrigo R. Duterte fired in May for allegedly allowing the issuance of a 75-year lease agreement with a casino operator and for favoring the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) in issuing permits outside its jurisdiction.
Mr. Duterte signed Mr. Vega’s appointment paper on Sept. 27. According to a profile on Mr. Vega, he “joined the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel in November 1986 as State Corporate Attorney III and thereafter rose from the ranks until his appointment by President Fidel V. Ramos as Deputy Government Corporate Counsel (DGCC) in March 1998.”
Meanwhile, the Cook Islands is now included in the concurrent jurisdiction of Jesus S. Domingo as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to New Zealand with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and the Independent State of Samoa. Mr. Duterte signed his appointment paper on Sept. 24. — Arjay L. Balinbin

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR