William Dar to replace Piñol as DA chief

FILE: President William Dar speaks on the dwindling water supply in Nueva Vizcaya during the recent Water Summit in Bayombong. (PIA NV Photo)

MANILA — William Dar will be returning as acting secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), a Palace official said on Monday.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Dar will be replacing Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol who will be transferred to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa).

“Yes,” Medialdea said in a text message when asked to confirm Dar’s appointment.

Earlier, Medialdea said the Office of the President has received several recommendations but the President has yet to arrive at a decision.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, for his part, deferred to the President to make the announcement on the DA’s next chief.

“Let’s wait for the President’s announcement,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Dar first served as Acting Secretary of Agriculture during the term of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

He was also Presidential Adviser on Rural Development and former Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics.

Duterte may announce DA’s next chief during the oath-taking of newly appointed officials in Malacañan Palace on Monday afternoon.

Last month, Duterte bared that he is eyeing a military man to take the place Piñol once he is formally designated as “point man” to develop Mindanao.

In a television interview, Duterte said he has already started “scouting around” for Piñol’s replacement.

Meanwhile, Medialdea also confirmed that Duterte has appointed Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Rodil Zalameda to the Supreme Court.

Zalameda will replace Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo who retired on July 29 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.