New DILG chief takes oath before PNoy

MANILA, Philippines - New Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Sarmiento on Tuesday took his oath before President Benigno Aquino III.

Sarmiento's oath-taking in Malacañang was witnessed by his predecessor, Manuel Roxas II, the Liberal Party's standard-bearer for next year's polls.

Also present at the Palace were Liberal Party stalwarts House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya.

Sarmiento is the secretary-general of the Liberal Party.

Aquino appointed Sarmiento earlier this month as DILG chief following the resignation of Roxas.

Roxas quit the post after Aquino officially endorsed him as the administration's presidential bet.

Earlier, Sarmiento vowed not to allow the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other agencies under the DILG to be engaged in partisan politics.

"We will continue to uphold the high standards of the institution in public service and guarantee that the national police and the entire uniformed service under the DILG will be neutral in ensuring a peaceful, honest and orderly election in 2016," he said in a statement. "We will remain steadfast in our fight against corruption."

Sarmiento said he would continue to modernize the PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and other agencies under the DILG.