Duterte names migrant workers’ agency chief

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has appointed Abdullah Derupong Mama-o as secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers.

“The Palace congratulates Mr. Abdullah Derupong Mama-o on his appointment as Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers,” Presidential Communications Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said in a statement yesterday.

Mama-o’s experience and qualifications in labor and diplomatic negotiations, among others, as the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) concerns will be invaluable to his new position and to the Philippines’ migrant workers, according to Andanar.

“The safety, security and welfare of our OFWs have ever since been foremost in the mind of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his administration,” Andanar said.

“We wish Secretary Mama-o success in the Department of Migrant Workers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Duterte has designated Presidential Management Staff Undersecretary Anderson Ang Lo as deputy ombudsman for Mindanao and lawyer Dante Vargas as deputy ombudsman for the Visayas.

Lo will replace Rodolfo Elman whose term ended on March 20 last year.

The deputy ombudsman for Mindanao is in charge of handling corruption complaints against officials and employees in that region.

In October 2018, former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales confirmed that the ombudsman is investigating presidential son Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte in connection with the alleged misdeclarations in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALNs during his term as Davao City vice mayor.

The ombudsman, under the term of Morales’ successor Samuel Martires, was mum on the status of the investigation on the younger Duterte and other officials facing complaints before his office.

Martires had earlier vouched for Lo’s credibility when the latter was shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council for the post, together with ombudsman career officials, investigation bureau director Beda Epres and Assistant Ombudsman for Mindanao Maria Iluminada Lapid-Viva.

Martires said he has “full trust and confidence on the integrity and competencies of the three (Lo, Epres and Viva),” and that “nothing turned up derogatory in my vetting, no one has a record of graft and corruption in their present and previous positions or employments.”

Lo is the husband of Judge Jill Rose Jaugan-Lo, Duterte’s first appointee at the Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“We wish Deputy Ombudsman Lo success as we assure him of the executive’s support in the Office of the Ombudsman’s drive toward good governance in the public sector,” the Palace said in a statement yesterday.

As deputy ombudsman for the Visayas, Vargas, beating to the post Epres and former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon, is set to replace Paul Elmer Clemente whose term ended on Nov. 6 last year.

Vargas’ appointment paper was dated April 2021, but it was only transmitted to the Supreme Court yesterday, according to reports. He will serve the ombudsman until 2029.

2 CA justices

Duterte likewise appointed two more associate justices – both from Davao – to join the Court of Appeals (CA).

Last Tuesday, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo about the President’s signing of the appointments of two more CA associate justices.

Appointed to the Appellate Court were Davao City, Davao del Sur RTC Branch 52 Ronald Tolentino and University of Southern Philippines-School of Law acting dean Rogelio Largo.

Tolentino will fill the vacancy left by former CA associate justice Stephen Cruz who retired on Aug. 3, 2020, while Largo takes over the post vacated by former CA associate justice Danton Bueser, who retired on March 14 last year.

Gesmundo was also informed that Assistant Ombudsman Jose Balmeo Jr. has been appointed as the new deputy ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices.

Balmeo replaced retired Cyril Ramos, and will have a seven-year term or until 2029 as deputy ombudsman. – Evelyn Macairan, Elizabeth Marcelo, Neil Jayson Servallos