Palace denies Mark Lapid has been replaced as TIEZA chief

Malacañang on Tuesday denied reports that President Benigno Aquino III has already replaced Mark Lapid as chief operations officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). At a briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said there is no truth to the report that Aquino has already appointed one Vicente Bonaobra II as new TIEZA COO. “There was a report that came out that there is a new COO of TIEZA; we confirmed with the Department of Tourism and we also confirmed with the Office of the Executive Secretary, we would like to categorically deny that there has been a replacement for Mr. Mark Lapid,” Lacierda said. The report said Bonaobra's appointment was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. on January 17. Lacierda said Ochoa’s office is investigating the false report. “Whoever that guy is representing himself to be, the Office of the ES is investigating that particular incident already,” he said. TIEZA is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT) that designates, regulates and supervises tourism enterprise zones established under Republic Act 9593. Lapid, who has the rank of undersecretary, is the son of Sen. Lito Lapid and a former governor of Pampanga province. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News