Lorenzana named head of Cabinet security cluster

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

President Rodrigo Duterte has designated Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as head of Cabinet cluster on security, justice and peace.

Mr. Duterte issued Executive Order No. 14 to amend a 2011 order which designated the Executive Secretary as head of the Cabinet cluster on security.  The order was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Oct. 14 but it was released only Wednesday.

The cluster revamp comes in the wake of the President’s multipronged goals of fighting drugs, protecting security and talking peace with the communists and Moro rebels.

The executive secretary  would slide down as a cluster member along with the secretaries of the Cabinet, interior, foreign affairs, justice and the advisers of national security and the peace process.

The President said appointing Lorenzana as head of the cluster would “ensure” government’s thrust to prevent lawless violence, and win the fight against crime, drugs and corruption.

The security cluster covers issues on guarding the territory,  attaining a just and lasting peace, ensuring the welfare of overseas workers,  strengthening the rule of law, ensuring equal justice and protecting human rights.

Complaint hotline

President Duterte also signed Executive Order No. 6 designating Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco and his Special Assistant, Bong Go, to take charge of a round the clock hotline for citizen’s complaint on government red tape.

The order mandates all government agencies, state-owned companies and government financial institutions to coordinate with Go and Evasco regarding complaints coursed through the “8888 Citizens’ Complaint Hotline.”

The President has encouraged citizens to send their complaints on lazy bureaucrats, fixers, and delays in their papers through text messages, e-mail, website and social media on top of the 8888 hotline.

He also promised to do away with long queues for government issued documents to be processed and for complaints to be answered within 72 days.

Regular status updates are required until the issue has been settled with the complainant.