GSIS president quit for ‘personal reasons’–Palace

Resigned GSIS President Jesus Clint O. Aranas. (Photo from the GSIS website)

President Duterte did not lose confidence in the leadership of Jesus Clint Aranas as president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and that Aranas was not asked to resign from his post, according to Malacañang.

Aranas quit for “personal reasons” and the President “just accepted the resignation,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Thursday.

“The resignation letter states the reason why he is resigning. He said for personal reasons. I don’t think we can dwell on the privacy of the person,” Panelo said.

In a statement on Thursday, the Palace said the President “has accepted Mr. Aranas’ resignation without any reason or any comment.”

This was contrary to an earlier statement issued by Malacañang on Wednesday night, which referred to Duterte’s loss of confidence in Aranas following “reports and allegations that there had been impropriety in the management of the GSIS.”

Before he submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, Aranas sought to sell a contested property at Manila North Harbor despite opposition from the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), which is led by the billionaire Enrique Razon.

Media reports said Duterte confronted Aranas after Monday’s Cabinet meeting and accused him of being untruthful that the ICTSI was not paying rent.

In its statement on Wednesday night, the Palace assured the public that it was searching for a worthy replacement to “safeguard the hard-earned money of government workers” and “ensure that the same would redound to the benefit of the GSIS members, bearing in mind the promotion of their welfare and interest.”