MANILA, Philippines? Malacañang on Tuesday announced the appointment of a former judge to replace presidential hopeful and resigned chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The new MMDA officer in charge is Oscar Inocentes, the undersecretary for political affairs in Metro Manila serving under the Office of the President, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

Remonde said Fernando tendered his resignation on Friday, ostensibly to push through with his presidential candidacy in the coming May elections.

The resignation came after Fernando, an original member of the ruling party, failed to clinch the presidential nomination of the merged Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats party.

Before joining Malacañang, Inocentes served as assistant city fiscal and later judge in Quezon City. He also became a board member of the Government Service Insurance System.