Just retired, ex-PAF chief named head of PNOC exploration firm

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday named retired Philippine Air Force chief Lieutenant General Rozzano Briguez as the next head of the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC).

Duterte made the announcement during the retirement ceremony for Briguez at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. Briguez was succeeded by Major General Allen Paredes.

“Now as good as any other time to tell you that from here he will be heading an office, a critical one. I fired for corruption, pinalitan ko and he’s going to head the exploration division of the Philippine National Oil Company,” Duterte said in his speech.

“Lahat naman kayo may naghihintay. All that I ask is honest. Period,” he told the audience composed mostly of soldiers and other uniformed personnel.

Duterte in October said he removed PNOC–Exploration Corp. president Pedro Aquino Jr. due to the latter’s action regarding a deal with a Russian firm.

Duterte called out Aquino for approving the contract without the go-signal from the PNOC-EC board.

Aquino's firing came days after Duterte returned from Moscow where he met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and urged Russia’s top oil producer Rosneft to invest in the Philippines.

Duterte has repeatedly dismissed criticisms that he was militarizing the government, saying that he preferred former uniformed personnel because they would get the job done and followed orders without arguing. —NB, GMA News