Retired Air Force chief to head PNOC-EC

FORMER PHILIPPINE Air Force (PAF) chief Lozzano D. Briguez, who retired from the post on Thursday, will be appointed to head the exploration arm of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC). President Rodrigo R. Duterte made the announcement during Mr. Briguez’s retirement ceremony Thursday. “Now as good as any other time to tell you that from here he will be heading an office, a critical one,” Mr. Duterte said. The PNOC Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) is a state-run firm focusing on the Philippines’ oil and gas resources. Last October, the President fired Pedro A. Aquino, Jr. as PNOC-EC head for “loss of confidence.” Meanwhile, Major General Allan T. Paredes, head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Air Logistics Command, has been appointed PAF commander effective Jan. 17. — Gillian M. Cortez