Noy swears in new LTFRB chief, DOJ undersecretary

MANILA, Philippines - Two private prosecutors in the impeachment trial of ousted chief justice Renato Corona took their oaths before President Aquino for their new government posts yesterday. 

Aquino swore in Winston Ginez as chairman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Jose Justiniano as an undersecretary of the Department of Justice. Aquino also named singer Leah Navarro as a member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, and retired Navy chief Alexander Pama as an undersecretary in the Office of the President.

Ginez, Justiniano, Navarro and Pama were among the 50 new appointees who took their oaths of office before Aquino in simple ceremonies held at Malacañang yesterday.

Others who took their oaths were former lawmaker Janette Garin as undersecretary at the Department of Health, and Maximo Mejia Jr. as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority.

Lawyer Alex Padilla, former chief government negotiator with communist rebels, took his oath as member of the board of directors of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Nelson Peña Laluces, a law school classmate of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., took his oath as deputy director general of the Intellectual Property Office.

The 54-year-old Laluces replaced Andrew Michael Ong. He will have a fixed term until December 2017.

Others who took their oaths: Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu of the Bureau of Corrections, undersecretaries Dina Joana Saltiva Ocampo Cristobal (DepEd), Ciriaco Lagunzad III (DOLE) Madeleine de Rosas Valera (DOH), Ponciano Manalo Jr. (DTI), Julianito Bucayan Jr. (DOTC); assistant secretaries Tonisito Machiavelli Casugbo Umali (DepEd), Ma. Gloria Abragan-Tango (DOLE), Ceferino Rodolfo (DTI), Blesila Lantayona (DTI), Camille Alcaraz Campos (DOST), Raymundo Liboro (DOST), and Celso Santiago who handles “special concerns” under the Presidential Communications Operations Office; Commissioners Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Audit, Nieves Osorio of the Civil Service Commission, Lorna Flores and Jerry Gracio of the Commission on Filipino Language, and Conrado Sillada of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; executive directors Ronald Manalaysay of DAR’s agrarian reform adjudication board, Teresita Hatta of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Roberto Cabrera III of the LTFRB under the Department of Transportation and Communications; Rear Adm. Richard Ritual of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, and commodores Joselito de la Cruz, Danilo Ubaldo, George Ursabia, Ferdinand Velasco, Leopoldo Laroya and Rolando Legaspi, all of the Coast Guard.  

Ray Roderos was also designated assistant director general of the National Security Council, Rolando Gosiengfiao (BCDA board), Milagros Isabel Cristobal (POEA), Elmoise Furong (DTI), Jonathan Jay Aldeguer (DTI); Honrito Chaneco (LRTA), Ralph Pastor Salazar (PNOC), Lucita Reyes (BOI-DTI), Ernesto Albano, Reagan de Guzman (North Luzon Railways Corp.), Orlan Calayag (DA), Nievelena Rosete and Francis Gealogo (National Historical Commission of the Philippines).