Malacañang reappoints bypassed DoH, DAR chiefs

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reappointed his secretaries who have been bypassed by the powerful Commission on Appointments.

Duterte signed on December 14 the ad interim appointment papers of Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd and Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, according to the documents released by Malacañang on Friday.

The Commission on Appointments bypassed the two Cabinet members by not confirming their appointments before Congress adjourned for the Christmas holidays.

Based on the rules of the commission, an appointee is deemed bypassed if his or her appointment is not acted upon when Congress adjourns session.

Duque was appointed on October 26 to replace former secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial, whose nomination the commission rejected on October 10.

Meanwhile, Castriciones was appointed on December 1 as DAR acting secretary after Rafael Mari- ano’s ad interim appointment as Agrarian Reform chief was rejected by the commission in September.

Duterte on Friday named former Armed Forces chief Eduardo Año officer in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Año replaced Catalino Cuy, a former director of the Davao City police, who was named by the President as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to replace Dionisio Santiago.