Prosecutor in Maggie de la Riva case named MMDA OIC

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has named a former Quezon City judge as officer-in-charge of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), replacing Bayani Fernando who resigned last Friday to prepare for his presidential bid in the May 2010 elections. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Judge Oscar Inocentes' appointment would take effect next month. Prior to his appointment, Inocentes served as undersecretary for political coalition affairs under the Office of the President. He also served as assistant Quezon City fiscal and member of the board of trustees of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Inocentes was given a presidential award by Arroyo's father, former President Diosdado Macapagal, for prosecuting the kidnap-for-ransom case against the “Big Four Syndicate" and by former President Ferdinand Marcos for the conviction of the suspects in the Maggie de la Riva case. The announcement came less than a week after Fernando quit the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD party to pursue his political ambitions. He will be running as an independent candidate next year. - Aie Balagtas See/KK, GMANews.TV