PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte insisted he is not patronizing the police and the military, this after some media outlets, in their previous reports, claimed that Duterte mostly appointed cabinet members and government officials who are former police and military heads.
Duterte denied such claims during his speech at the oath-taking ceremony of his son, Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, on Friday, June 21, saying, “Kahit bumoto ang police and armed forces sa akin but I’m not the president of just one entity or organization,” he said.
Recently, Duterte appointed retired general Ricardo Morales as the next Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president.
The President asked former PhilHealth chief Roy Ferrer and six appointed PhilHealth board members to step down amid the ghost dialysis controversy.
Other notable police/military appointees include Rolando Bautista (Social Welfare secretary), Eliseo Rio Jr. (Information and Communications Technology acting secretary), Roy Cimatu (Environment secretary), Isidro Lapeña (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general).
Duterte, in a previous report, said his primary criteria in appointing cabinet members are persons of integrity and honesty. (RGL)