6 new envoys, 30 police generals take oath

President Arroyo swore in yesterday six new ambassadors, six police directors and 24 chief superintendents, and a brigadier general in the Army.

In ceremonies at Malacañang, Mrs. Arroyo also administered the oath to Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Alipio Fernandez Jr., Press Undersecretary Carmen Suva, Presidential Adviser on Culture Leticia Ramos-Shahani, Presidential Assistant I for Education Mona Valisno, and Presidential Assistant Manuel Andal.

The new envoys are: Ambassador to the United Nations Alfonso Yuchengco, Ambassador to New Zealand Francisco Santos, Ambassador to Pakistan Jorge Arizabal, Ambassador to Spain Joseph Delano Bernardo, Ambassador to the Vatican Francisco Alba, Ambassador to Egypt Shulan Primavera, and Ambassador to Australia Willy Gaa.

The new police directors are: Ramsey Ocampo, Clyde Fernandez, Ricardo de Leon, Lucas Managuelod, Victor Casuga Signey, and Nestorio Gualberto.

The new police chief superintendents are: Reynaldo Berroya, Eduardo Matillano, Dionisio Coloma, Alberto Astudillo, Reynaldo Varilla, Edmundo Dizon Jr. Nardito Yoro, Arturo Lomibao, Doroteo Reyes II, Rosalio Magsino, Vidal Querol, Prospero Noble Jr., Cesar Pagtakhan, Rogelio Bathan, Librado Matibag, Alberto Olario, Acmad Omar, Alfredo de Vera Jr., Rodolfo Tor, Oscar Calderon, Antonio Billones, Jose Gutierrez Jr., and Nicolas de Yro Pasinos Jr.

Sworn in as new Army brigadier general is Santiago Projido.

Also promoted posthumously to the next rank was Senior Police Officer 4 Edmundo de Leon, the Special Action Force member who died in the police siege on the Quezon City hideout of a gang of kidnappers last Wednesday.

Mrs. Arroyo also named yesterday STAR columnist Preciosa Soliven secretary general of UNACOM; Joel Valdez, president and chief executive officer of Trade and Investment Development Corp.; Jose Cortes Jr., chairman of Philippine National Railways; Bai Omera Dianalan-Lucman, social welfare undersecretary; Erlinda Navarro and Antonio Oppen Jr., regional development officers.

Witnessing the ceremonies were Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. and Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

After the ceremonies, Mrs. Arroyo met close-door with Mendoza and Berroya.

Last Tuesday, Rep. Ted Failon (Independent, Leyte) lambasted Mrs. Arroyo for appointing some 50 presidential advisers, consultants and assistants.

During deliberations of the Office of the President’s P3.1 billion budget for next year, Failon said at the House floor that Mrs. Arroyo has kept a long list of advisers and consultants.

However, Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao told reporters yesterday Failon should make a "careful study" of the organizational structure of the Office of the President before making "erroneous" claims.

Tiglao said he was included in Failon’s count as among 15 advisers who receive a monthly salary of P40,425 plus perks allocated for Cabinet secretaries.

"As presidential spokesman, I’m not an adviser," he said. "Perhaps I deserve a salary that much given the needling you, in the media, give me everyday."

Tiglao said he was surprised why Failon lumped together names and figures in his list without getting the "correct information" about the officials from the Office of the President.

"The congressman who made these charges hasn’t really studied the structure of the Office of the President," he said.

Tiglao said Failon had also identified as advisers in his list Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo and Presidential Chief of Staff Renato Corona.

"Certainly the executive secretary is a full Cabinet rank who has been confirmed by the Commission of Appointments," he said. "You are called adviser because you have a staff position, not a line position which would be the rank of a secretary."

Tiglao gave reporters copies of the salary scale of government officials to show that Romulo, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino Cruz, a presidential adviser, and a presidential assistant II have a salary grade of 31 with an annual pay of P462,000 or P38,500 monthly.

A presidential assistant I deputy executive secretary, and an undersecretary belong to grade 30 and receive a salary of P330,000 yearly or P27,500 a month. – Marichu Villanueva