Ex-Air Force chief named to PNOC-EC

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday appointed yet another military official to the government, naming Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez president of the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) minutes after his retirement as Philippine Air Force (PAF) chief.

“He will be heading an office, a critical one. He’s going to head the exploration division (corporation) of the PNOC,” Mr. Duterte said in a speech at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

The President also led the PAF change of command and retirement ceremony for Briguez, who turns 56 on Friday.

He was replaced by Maj. Gen. Allen Paredes, who was appointed the 37th commanding general of the PAF.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” class of 1986, Briguez served as PAF chief for one year and one month.

On Thursday, Mr. Duterte hinted at appointing more ex-military officials to government positions. He said: “All of you are waiting. All that I ask is honesty. Period.”

Briguez’s appointment came three months after Mr. Duterte confirmed that he had sacked then PNOC-EC president Pedro Aquino over an alleged deal with a Russian oil firm for which the board of directors suspended him for 30 days.In a speech at the SMX Convention Center Thursday night, the President described Briguez as a “good man.”

He joins a long list of former military and police officials appointed to government posts, among them, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista.