New Cabinet members, ombudsmen, other appointments announced

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed his partymate Melvin A. Matibag as acting Cabinet Secretary, according to his office.

Mr. Matibag, secretary general of the PDP-Laban faction chaired by Mr. Duterte, assumed the post vacated by Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, who was recently appointed as chairperson of the Civil Service Commission. 

“His experiences and competence will be vital to the remaining three months of the Duterte administration, such as in ensuring that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s policies and programs are efficiently managed,” acting presidential spokesman José Ruperto Martín M. Andanar said in a statement. 

Mr. Matibag previously headed the National Transmission Corporation.

Mr. Duterte also named his adviser Abdullah D. Mama-o as secretary of the newly created Department of Migrant Workers. 

“His experience and qualifications in labor and diplomatic negotiations, among others, as the presidential adviser on OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) concerns will be invaluable to his new position and to our migrant workers,” Mr. Andanar said in a separate statement. 

OMBUDSMAN
Also on Wednesday, the appointment of three new members of the Office of the Ombudsman — for Visayas, Mindanao, and the Military and Other Law Offices (MOLEO) — was announced.  

Jose M. Balmeo, Jr. will replace Cyril E. Ramos as deputy ombudsman for MOLEO, the Supreme Court Public Information Office announced Wednesday.

The appointment paper was dated Aug. 27 of last year but was only marked as received by the High Court on Tuesday.

Mr. Balmeo, previously an assistant ombudsman, will serve a term not exceeding seven years, according to the letter received by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo. 

The MOLEO handles complaints against law enforcement, military, and police agencies.

Dante F. Vargas and Anderson A. Lo are the new deputy ombudsman for Visayas and Mindanao, respectively. 

BUCOR
The Palace also confirmed the appointment of Gerald Q. Bantag as Director-General of the Justice department’s Bureau of Corrections. 

“Prior to Mr. Bantag’s recent appointment as Director General of the BUCOR, he was only on secondment from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to the BUCOR,” Mr. Andanar said. “He was previously designated as Director General, but he kept his item/position with the BJMP.” 

“Now Mr. Bantag has been appointed directly as the Director-General of BUCOR, with a tour of duty not exceeding six years,” he added. — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza