MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:15 p.m.) — Malacañang on Tuesday announced the designation of Catalino Cuy as officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
“[Undersecretary] Cuy will hold the position to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of services of the department until Duterte appoints a new secretary,” the palace said in a statement.
Cuy’s designation came after Duterte fired Ismael Sueno as DILG secretary over loss of confidence and trust. Sueno was facing corruption and abuse of power complaints prior to his dismissal from office.
He has denied the allegations and had asked the department to have him investigated.
Cuy, a former Davao City police chief, is undersecretary for peace and order. He is not among the undersecretaries who accused Sueno of corruption.
In a statement Wednesday, Cuy said he has accepted his designation as the acting DILG chief.
"I am taking the responsibilities given to me by President Duterte seriously, and I commit to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the DILG and its constituent agencies in the spirit of absolute fairness, unity, and dedication to public service," Cuy said saying these are needed to move forward in Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality.
"I promise all of you in the executive branch?, DILG—my home department—and the Filipino people that I will not betray this sacred public trust," he added.