RJ is Rody adviser; new BuCor chief named

MANILA, Philippines - A musician and a former lawyer of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles were among the new appointees of President Duterte.

The President has appointed musician and entrepreneur Ramon Jacinto as presidential adviser on economic affairs and information technology communications with the rank of undersecretary, a statement issued yesterday by the Presidential Communications Office said.  

A supporter of Duterte, Jacinto is also a radio jockey and a television host. He is the founder of radio station dzRJ.

Lanee Cui-David, a former lawyer of Napoles, has been named deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

She was a partner of the David Cui-David Buenaventura & Ang Law Offices, which handled the tax evasion and corruption charges against the Napoles family.

In previous interviews, Cui-David said she left the law firm after her appointment to the tax bureau.

Retired military general Arthur Tabaquero has been appointed presidential adviser on military affairs with the rank of undersecretary.

Tabaquero is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class ’78, the same class that adopted former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as honorary member. He also served as the commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command and National Capital Region Command.

Jesus Clint Aranas, meanwhile, has been designated BIR deputy commissioner. Aranas is the national treasurer of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, the party of Duterte.

Gamaliel Cordova has been reappointed commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission while Raymundo de Vera Elefante has been named defense undersecretary for finance, ammunitions, installations and materials.

New BuCor chief

At the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), a marine officer who testified on the massive election cheating in Lanao in 2004 has been named director of the agency.

Maj. Gen. Alexander Balutan, the current vice commander of the Philippine Navy, is retiring early to assume the top BuCor post next month, according to newly designated Armed Forces Public Affairs Office chief Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo.

“Balutan has confirmed that to us, and the Philippine Navy will be according him with retirement honors on July 30,” Arevalo said.  – With Jaime Laude