PNoy creates committee for ‘peaceful transition’ to Duterte admin

President Benigno Aquino III has signed Administrative Order (AO) No. 49 creating a Presidential Transition Committee (PTC) to ensure a “peaceful, orderly and effective transition” to the incoming administration of presumptive president Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The PTC will be headed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

It’s other members include Secretaries Florencio “Butch” Abad, Cesar Purisima, Rene Almendras, Rogelio Singson, and Herminio Coloma Jr., and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Emmanuel Esguerra.

The PTC “shall serve as the overall and central coordination committee of all executive departments, agencies, bureaus, government-owned or -controlled corproations, and other instrumentalities as regards the various aspects of transition to the new administration.”

“It shall oversee the preparation and implementation of the government agencies’ transition to the new administration, in order to ensure the continuity and maintain the efficiency of government services,” the AO states.

The AO also creates Agency Transition Committees (ATCs), which shall be chaired by the Secretary or head of agency in all government agencies.

The PTC will hold its first meeting on Friday, May 13, said Coloma.

President Aquino earlier confirmed calling up Duterte’s executive assistant, Bong Go, informing them that an administrative order is being drafted to effect the “smoothest transition possible.”

Go is also a part of Duterte’s transition panel. The other members are Peter Laviña, Duterte’s spokesperson, campaign manager Leoncio Evasco, campaign finance committee head Carlos G. Dominguez, and lawyers Salvador Medialdea and Loreto Ata. — RSJ, GMA News