DOJ’s Guevarra is country’s OIC as Duterte leaves for 4-day Japan visit

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is the nation’s caretaker while President Rodrigo Duterte embarks on a four-day visit to Japan. —INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has been named officer-in-charge (OIC) while President Rodrigo Duterte is in Japan for Nikkei’s 25th International Conference on The Future of Asia.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed this to INQUIRER.net in a text message Tuesday.

Malacañang, however, has yet to release a copy of the order as of writing.

Duterte is set to leave the country for his third visit to Japan on Tuesday afternoon.

Aside from attending the global conference, Duterte is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to reassert the Philippines’ commitment to upholding freedom of navigation in the disputed areas of South China Sea.

According to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Duterte’s visit to the East Asian nation would give the Philippines nearly P300 billion worth of investment deals, which would create 80,000 jobs for Filipinos.

READ: Philippines, Japan to sign at least 10 deals in Duterte’s Tokyo visit

READ: Philippines to get nearly P300 B worth of deals in Duterte’s Japan trip

Some members of Duterte’s official delegation to Japan included:

1. Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Department of Foreign Affairs
2. Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Department of Finance
3. Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Department of Agriculture
4. Secretary Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways
5. Secretary Karlo Nograles, Secretary to the Cabinet
6. Secretary Ramon Lopez, Department of Trade and Industry
7. Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Department of Tourism
8. Secretary Arthur Tugade, Department of Transportation
9. Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, Department of Science and Technology
10. Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Department of Energy
11. Secretary Eliseo Rio, Jr., Department of Information and Communications Technology
12. Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority
13. Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar, Presidential Communications Operations Office
14. Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., National Security Adviser and Director-General of the National Security Council
15. Secretary Salvador Panelo, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
16. Carlito Galvez, Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity

(Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)

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