Ex-SSS chief Amado Valdez: I wasn’t fired

MANILA, Philippines — Social Security Commission (SSC) chairman Amado Valdez clarified yesterday that he was not fired by President Duterte but was simply not reappointed after finishing his term.

In a text message to The STAR, Valdez said he has been serving the Social Security System (SSS) in a holdover capacity since June 2017, when his term originally expired.

He thanked Duterte for allowing him to serve the administration and push for the reforms within the state fund.

“It has been an honor and source of pride to work under his inspiring leadership. The presidential prerogative was exercised with great care, which I greatly appreciate. I will work for his reforms even outside the government,” Valdez said.

The former SSC commissioner hopes he has ended his term with reputation still intact.

“I hope. It is not for me to say, but I did not do anything to ruin (my reputation),” Valdez said, preferring not to speculate on the reason why Duterte did not renew his appointment. “It could be a plan or a reason. The President is an extremely seasoned executive. The way he plays his moves is like a virtuoso. Out of respect, let’s not speculate on his reasons.”

Last Monday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte has decided not to renew the terms of Valdez and SSC commissioner Jose Gabriel La Viña. Yesterday, he said the decision could have been due to the rift among SSS executives.

“I think the President replaced them because he saw that SSS would be more efficient without a rift in the board,” Roque said.

The SSS has recently been embroiled in controversy after La Viña filed an administrative complaint against four SSS officials for allegedly trading stocks using information acquired from an SSS-accredited stockbroker.

The state fund had then conducted an investigation on the officials involved – SSS executive vice president Rizaldy Capulong, equities investment division chief Reginald Candelaria, equities product development head Ernesto Francisco Jr. and chief actuary George Ongkeko Jr.

Candelaria and Ongkeko filed their resignation from the SSS after the accusations were made public.

La Viña also filed graft complaints against 21 SSS executives for allegedly entering into 253 illegal media contracts with disbursements amounting to P145 million.