Palace: Review shows NFA chief qualified to hold post

National Food Authority (NFA) chief Orlan Calayag is qualified to hold his position despite questions on his true citizenship, Malacañang said Wednesday.

"Based on an assessment of the documents provided by Mr. Orlan Calayag, he has met all the qualifications necessary to hold his current position," the Office of the Executive Secretary said in a statement released to the media.

The Palace issued the statement a day after it said that "there in an ongoing review and verification process to address other issues pertinent to his [Calayag] appointment."

The development came amid reports that Calayag was reportedly an American citizen.

A report in Manila Standard Today said Aquino had antedated the tenure of Calayag by six months to skirt the election ban on midnight apppointments, which the Palace had denied.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio "Sonny" Coloma Jr. explained that Calayag served the unexpired term of Angelito Banayo from the date of his first appointment on January 17, 2013.

Coloma added that Calayag was reappointed on July 12, 2013, which he said is "in accordance with Republic Act 10149 or the GCG Law."  — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News