Duterte appoints retired military generals to Marina, ambassador posts

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed two retired military generals to government posts, according to a list of appointees released by Malacañang on Wednesday.

On March 2, Duterte appointed former Philippine Navy chief Robert Empedrad as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation.

Empedrad retired from the military service just last month.

Duterte also named Macairog Alberto the country’s new ambassador to Israel. Alberto once served as the commanding general of the Philippine Army under Duterte.

The President has dismissed criticisms that he is militarizing the government, saying that he preferred former uniformed personnel because they get the job done and comply orders without debating them.

Duterte, meanwhile, appointed new justices of the Court of Appeals, namely, Bonifacio Pascua, Raymond Reynold Lauigan, Lorenza Bordios and Richard Mordeno.

He also appointed prosecutors and new judges including Makati City judge Xavier Paolo del Castillo, the son of retired Supreme Court Justice Mariano del Castillo.

The President also renewed the appointments of Abdullah Mamao and former Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. as special envoy to Kuwait and to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, respectively.

Other presidential appointees included Cheryl Marie Caballero (Department of Agriculture undersecretary), William Medrano (DA assistant secretary), Reildrin Morales (executive director, National Meat Inspection Service), Jimmy Dureza (director, Southern Philippines Development Authority) and Emerson Aquende (commissioner, Philippine Competition Commission).  —LDF, GMA News