Cuy, Año appointed to new posts

FILE: President Rodrigo R. Duterte, assisted by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Acting Secretary Catalino Cuy, ties a presidential streamer during the 115th Police Service Anniversary celebration at Camp Crame on August 17. (TOTO LOZANO/PPD)

President Rodrigo Duterte has named two people to their new posts in the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Interior Department on Friday.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Catalino Cuy was appointed as the new chairman of the DDB.

Cuy will fill the vacant post left by Dionisio Santiago in November last year after the Presidential Secretary informed him that President Rodrigo Duterte wanted him to resign. This was after Santiago made comments against the President’s campaign to eradicate illegal drugs, specifically calling the construction of 10,000 drug rehabilitation centers in Nueva Ecija a mistake.

Santiago was a former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff before assuming his position in DDB, which only lasted five months. Duterte also accused him of having junkets.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Año, another former AFP Chief of Staff who was recently appointed as Undersecretary of DILG, is set to replace Cuy as Interior OIC.

Earlier in May last year, Duterte announced his plans of appointing Año as his next DILG chief after reaching his mandatory retirement age in the military by October.

However, Año is only appointed as OIC now because Republic Act Number 6975 does not allow Duterte’s wishes.

“The head of the Department hereinafter referred to as the Secretary, shall also be the ex-officio Chairman of the National Police Commission and shall be appointed by the President subject to confirmation of the Commission on Appointments. No retired or resigned military officer or police official may be appointed as Secretary within one (1) year from the date of his retirement or resignation,” reads Section 8 of the law, which was passed in 1990.

He can only be named as DILG Chief after October 26, 2018.

Malacañang released the two’s appointment papers on Friday, which was signed by the President on Thursday.