MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte wants military chief Gen. Eduardo Año to assume his post as new secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government by June 2, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday.
During his speech at the closing ceremonies of the two-week Balikatan Exercises on Friday, Lorenzana announced the date Año would take over the government agency.
Lorenzana said that Duterte wants to conduct a turnover ceremony at the Armed Forces of the Philippines on June 2 to let Año assume his post as Interior and Local Government chief.
Last week, Duterte announced that Año would take the post as DILG secretary before he left for Cambodia, Hong Kong and China.
"You really want to know who’s the next? May I call upon the chief of staff... General Año, can you come forward and be counted as one of the Filipinos. Tinatatanong ka kasi, makulit yan si... You are now facing the next DILG secretary," Duterte said.
READ: Duterte: Military chief Año is the next DILG secretary
Lorenzana added that he asked the president to allow Año to extend his stay in the AFP until his scheduled retirement on October 26 but was denied.
"I said, ‘Can we extend the stay of Gen. Año with the AFP?’ He said, ‘No. Just have the turnover by June 2. So that’s it. It’s final," Lorenzana said.
Año will be replacing acting DILG Secretary Catalino Cuy, who replaced Ismael Sueno in April. Duterte dismissed Sueno due to "loss of trust and confidence."