Noy appoints dads of impeachment trial prosecutors

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed as executives of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) the fathers of two members of the prosecution team in the House of Representatives in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Palace officials said that former senator Wigberto Tañada, father of House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III; and former Quezon City councilor Jorge Banal Sr., father of incumbent Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal Jr., took their oaths of office before Aquino yesterday.

The elder Tañada was designated chairman and member of the board of directors of UCPB-CIIF Oil Mills Group, a government-sequestered firm. The elder Banal was appointed acting member of the board of directors of the Poro Point Management Corp.

The younger Tañada, who represents a district in Quezon province, is one of three spokesmen for the House prosecution panel in the Corona impeachment trial while the younger Banal is working with the House impeachment panel secretariat.

Representatives Tañada and Banal are both members of the ruling Liberal Party where Aquino sits as chairman.

Rep. Banal’s name rose to national prominence after a Philippine Savings Bank manager testified at the hearing of the Senate impeachment court that the congressman went to their bank’s Katipunan branch and tried to verify from bank officials if the bank documents allegedly leaked to him were authentic. The bank manager, however, turned down Banal’s request.

During the impeachment trial, the congressman affirmed everything and said the bank documents of Corona’s accounts were left by an anonymous source at the front gate of his house in Quezon City - a claim some critics have doubted.

The other appointees to the UCPB-CIIF were Roberto Macasaet Jr. Wilfredo Paras, Ma. Ngina Teresa Chan-Gonzaga, Jesus Lim Arranza who is also the chief executive officer of UCPB-CIIF, Bienvenido Bautista and Ermilando Napa.

Aquino also appointed Dr. Benjamin Reyes as deputy executive director for operations of the Dangerous Drugs Board while Virginia Akiate was designated acting director IV of the Commission on Higher Education, and Rufino Bomasang was appointed acting member of the board of directors of the Philippine National Oil Co (PNOC).

The Palace also appointed Luis Ma. Uranza and Francisco Ignalaga Jr. as members of the PNOC Exploration Corp.

Alfredo Non and Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc were appointed members of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Aquino appointed Jamie Eloise Agbayani as acting president and CEO of the John Hay Management Corp. while Genaro Mendoza was appointed acting member of the board of directors of Clark Development Corp.

Angel Lopez Castano Jr. was appointed chairman of the Philippine Racing Commission, whose members include Franco Loyola, Reynaldo Fernando, Lyndon Noel Guce, Jesus Cantos and Victor Tantoco.

The board of directors of the Philippine Postal Corp.(PhilPost) now include Mory Sison, Felipe Hidalgo Jr., Joel Otarra and Ronald Tuazon.

Ives Nisce was also appointed as acting chairman and member of the board of directors of the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC).

Amparo Aspiras was designated member of the PPMC board of directors representing the Bases Conversion Development Authority.

The other new PPMC board members were Elmer Cadano, Loius Funa-ay Claver Jr., Florante Gerdan, Celia Guzman, former SBMA chairman Felicito Payumo, Nicolas Tabora and Mitchell Verzosa.