Guevarra is OIC while PRRD in Thailand for Asean Summit

FILE: Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra announces during a press briefing in Malacañang that the matter concerning the closure of the resorts in Boracay is currently one of the top priorities that are being discussed by the cabinet citing that it would not only concern the environmental aspect of the issue but the economic impact as well. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday designated Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the executive department while he is on official travel to Thailand to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Bangkok.

Special Order 631 states that Guevarra will serve as OIC from June 21 to 23 “to ensure continuity of government service.

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As officer-in-charge, Guevarra was assigned “to take care of the day-to-day operations and oversee the general administration of the Executive Department.”

The order directed the justice chief to “if necessary, act for and on behalf of the President, except on matters that the President is required by the Constitution to act in person, during the time the President is outside the Republic of the Philippines from 21 to 23 June 2019.”

Guevarra’s acts for and on behalf of the President shall be deemed as acts of the Chief Executive unless disapproved or reprobated by the latter.

He was also designated as the executive branch’s OIC during the President’s official participation in the 25th International Conference on the Future of Asia and related events in Tokyo, Japan from May 28 to June 1.