Sunday, June 22, 2008 Cagas as RPOC chair, a good choice: Duterte By Grace L. Plata
DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the appointment of Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Ra Cagas as new chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Southern Mindanao -- a post held by Duterte himself for 12 years.
"Cagas is a good choice. He is competent," Duterte said in a statement coursed through his executive assistant, Christopher Lawrence Go.
Vice Mayor Sara Z. Duterte echoed the mayor's opinion, saying: "I'm sure that he (Cagas) will do a good job."
The elder Duterte stepped down as RPOC-Southern Mindanao chair and left the position vacant in January 2008 after being implicated in the killing of broadcaster Fernando "Batman" Lintuan last December 24, 2007.
Lintuan, prior to his death, was critical of the People's Park project of the mayor, saying the construction of the P72 million park was anomalous.
Duterte refused to take back his resignation even upon the urging of governors and mayors in the region, saying his resignation was irrevocable.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno announced Thursday the partial list, approved by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, of chairpersons of the RPOCs, which under the law are empowered to execute national policies, plans and programs related to peace and order councils at the local level.
