Palace: No need to justify La Viña's appointment to DOT

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang does not see the need to justify President Rodrigo Duterte's appointment of sacked Social Security System Commissioner Jose Gabriel "Pompee" La Viña as Tourism undersecretary. 

He reiterated that it is within his Duterte's prerogative as chief executive. 

La Viña, Duterte's social media director during the campaign for the 2016 polls, was appointed SSS commissioner in 2016 but his term was not renewed when it expired 
last year. 

In a statement issued last February, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said La Vina's services were terminated over costly project proposals and his alleged 
vilification of fellow SSS officials.

Despite his less than graceful exit from SSS, La Viña was appointed Tourism undersecretary last April 24. 

Roque said there is no need to explain why Duterte, who promised not to tolerate even a whiff of corruption, gave La Viña a new government post.

"As I said, it is a presidential prerogative. I don't really have to explain, justify an act which is inherently executively nature and subject absolutely to the 
president's discretion," he said in a press briefing Thursday. 

When asked whether the appointment is inconsistent with Duterte's pronouncements against corruption, Roque replied: "My friend, as I said, it's his prerogative." 

"It is up to the president. He is the appointing authority to both – the position of SSS and the DOT (Department of Tourism)," he added. 

Roque previously cited four reasons behind the termination of La Viña's services. 

La Viña allegedly requested P26 million for a social media project and a television show he would host, and a monthly budget of P1.6 million for a media advertising program. 

Roque said La Viña also pushed for the accreditation of seven unqualified brokers to handle SSS investments and spoke against fellow SSS officials "who crossed 
his path." 

Roque said in his February statement that the termination of La Viña's services was a "a reminder to all public officials that the president is serious in curbing corruption."