PRRD to appoint retiring general to PNOC post

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Malacañan Palace on November 19, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday that he would be appointing another military man to a vacant position at the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).

Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, the President hinted that the unnamed military officer, who will be assigned to the PNOC, currently holds the rank of a general and is expected to retire anytime soon.

He, however, did not elaborate on the available post at the state-owned energy firm.

“Kita mo lahat ng Cabinet members ko ngayon, puro military (Look at my Cabinet members now, they are mostly former military personnel). There’s one coming up,” Duterte said in a chance interview at Malacañan Palace.

“Bakante ‘yung isang opisina ng PNOC (There’s a vacant position at the PNOC office). I’m going to appoint another general there, retiring,” he said.

On October 17, Duterte admitted that he had fired PNOC-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) president and chief executive officer, Pedro Aquino Jr.

, for entering into unauthorized and “idiotic” deal with Russian oil giant Rosneft Oil Company.

The PNOC-EC, under Aquino’s supervision, forged an agreement on multilateral cooperation in oil and gas resources with Rosneft and Hong Kong-based firm Pionaire Finance Limited in June 2017.

Duterte said in his latest statement that he would be “more confident” in appointing a military man at the PNOC.

He also took note of the military’s integrity and swift actions that can help boost his administration’s policies and programs.

“Mas ano ako, kampante ako kasi itong mga military hindi masyadong ano sa corruption (I am more confident because the military is not involved in corruption),” Duterte said.

“You give the money, may sobra pa (you would even receive a change), and the thing is fixed,” he added.

Duterte has appointed former military officers to key posts in the government, confident that they strictly follow orders.