Duterte’s new last-minute appointments: Erro for DAR, Fragada for DENR
MANILA, Philippines (Updated June 24, 10:16 a.m.) — Days before he officially steps down from office, President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed new officers-in-charge — David Erro for the Department of Agrarian Reform and Joselin Marcus Fragada for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources — to replace officials he had also appointed in a caretaker capacity.
Acting Presidential Spokesman Martin Andanar confirmed the appointments in a short statement on Thursday evening.
Erro was previously the DAR’s undersecretary for its policy, planning and research office and acted as concurrent undersecretary for the department’s external affairs and communications operations office.
He will be taking the position of DAR acting secretary Bernie Cruz until end-June. Once President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is inaugurated next week, lawmaker Conrado Estrella will be taking his place as agrarian reform chief.
Meanwhile, Fragada was DENR’s undersecretary regional director in Davao. An update from ABS-CBN News showed that Fragada’s appointment replacing acting environment secretary Jim Sampulna has been in effect since Wednesday, June 22.
Sampulna when asked for comment said the appointment is provided by the law "that acting [secretary] like me need to be [confirmed] by the [Commission on Appointments]. Since Congress is on recess automatic for [Office of the President to appoint an [Officer-inCharge]," he told Philstar.com.
A memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea showed that with Fragada’s appointment as OIC, he would be allowed to regulate the use and exploration of the country’s forestry and mineral resources, issue licences and permits for the use of aquatic resources, among others.
Malacañang did not provide an explanation behind the sudden leadership changes.
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