Aaron Aquino 'relieved' as PDEA chief, Wilkins Villanueva takes over

Wilkins Villanueva is the new Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea announced Tuesday.

Villanueva, current head of the PDEA Northern Mindanao, also posted on social media his appointment, quoting a letter dated May 22, 2020 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

He will replace Aaron Aquino who headed the agency for almost two years.

Villanueva will serve as PDEA'S seventh director general.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said Aquino did not step down but "was relieved."

"As a clarification to several individual queries by some media friends, outgoing DG Aquino did not step down po. He was relieved and shall be succeeded by incoming DG Wilkins Villanueva po," Carreon said.

"We all know that movement in key positions in government offices is the sole prerogative of the President," he added.

Carreon said Aquino would assume another position in the bureaucracy "but we are not at liberty to disclose further details."

In his Facebook post, Villanueva said, "After almost 2 decades of serving our country on the field of DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT through different capacities and positions both with PNP Narcotics Group and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, I finally achieved what I was aiming for... DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PDEA."

"My utmost gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for giving me his trust and confidence to lead our country's WAR ON DRUGS. I will never fail you MR. PRESIDENT!" he added.  —LDF/NB, GMA News