By Genalyn D. Kabiling
President Duterte, exercising presidential prerogative, will no longer renew the appointments of two top Social Security System officials.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the services of SSS Chairman Amado Valdez and commissioner Jose Gabriel La Viña have been discontinued following the expiration of their terms last June 30.
The two officials were serving on a holdover capacity since their terms expired, Roque said.
“The Executive Secretary has formally informed Mr. Jose Gabriel M. La Viña or “Pompee” as well as and Mr. Amado D. Valdez that their term of office, both of which expired 30 June 2017 as commissioners of the SSS, will not be renewed,” Roque said.
In letters addressed to the two officials, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed them that, “Upon instructions of the President, your service in the SSS is hereby discontinued effective immediately.”
Roque cited presidential prerogative as the reason why the two officials were let go.
For now, he said, there was no announcement on the replacement of the two SSS executives.
Valdez, former University of the East College of Law dean, was appointed SSS chairman in October 2016. La Viña, a social media director of Duterte’s presidential campaign, was named commissioner a month later.
