A military general will be appointed soon to lead the Philippine National Oil Co., President Duterte announced Thursday.
The President did not identify the general who will get the plum PNOC post but he said the officer is expected to retire from the service.
Speaking to reporters in Malacañang, Duterte explained that he was comfortable in appointing another military man to a government post because military officers are not prone to corruption.
“There’s one coming up. Bakante ‘yung isang opisina ng PNOC. I’m going to appoint another general there, retiring. Kampante ako itong mga military hindi masyado ano sa corruption,” he said.
Last October, the President asked PNOC-Exploration Corp. president and CEO Pedro Aquino Jr. resign after losing confidence in him. He said the PNOC official prepared an “idiotic” oil and gas development contract with a Russian oil firm and wanted the board of directors to ratify the deal.
Aquino obeyed Duterte’s call and tendered his resignation letter.
In the same media interview, Duterte defended anew his preference for former military officers to key government posts, citing their competence and efficiency.
“Because I said from experience, time and again, I have observed that if it is… Kita mo lahat ng Cabinet members ko ngayon puro military,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)