Duterte names new OGCC chief; reappoints De Venecia, Ang as special envoys

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Elpidio Jumalon Vega as the new government corporate counsel, four months after he fired Rudolf Philip Jurado from his post.

Duterte signed Vega’s appointment on September 27 but his papers were released to the media only on Monday.

Vega was previously a deputy government corporate counsel who was named officer-in-charge of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) after Duterte fired Jurado.

READ: Duterte fires government corporate counsel Jurado

Jurado was fired for allegedly granting gambling franchise to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco).

Aside from Vega, Duterta also reappointed former House Speaker Jose de Venecia as Special Envoy of the President for Intercultural Dialogue and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. His term will end on October 20, 2019.

The President also reappointed Dante Ang, owner of The Manila Times, as Special Envoy of the President for International Public Relations until October 31, 2019.

He also reappointed Monica Prieto Teodoro, wife of former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, as Special Envoy of the President to the United Nations Children’s Fund until September 27, 2019.

Abdullah Mama-o was also reappointed as Special Envoy of the President to the State of Kuwait until October 31, 2019.

All of their respective appointment papers were signed by Mr. Duterte on September 28. /kga