DENR chief reshuffles regional directors

MANILA, Philippines - Environment secretary Lito Atienza on Monday started reorganizing his department by effectively removing six regional directors and reshuffling seven others. Three other regional directors were retained to their current positions. Those who were removed were Samuel Peñafiel, who is replaced by Primitivo Galinato Jr as director for Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); Clarence Baguilat, who is replaced by Laureano Lingan Jr in Region 2; Benjamin Tumaliuan, who is replaced by Edilberto Buiser in Region 3; Victor Ancheta, who is replaced by Corazon Davis in Region 1; Celso Loriega, who is replaced by Leonardo Sibbaluca in Region 7; and Lormelyn Claduio, who is replaced by Ricardo Calderon in Region 6. The reorganization was contained in Special Order No. 2001-01, which was issued Monday. In his order, Atienza assigned/reassigned the following DENR directors to: * Antonio Principe – Region 3 * Jose Andres Diaz – National Capital Region * Regidor De Leon – Region 8 * Maximo Dichoso – Region 9 * Ernesto Adobo Jr – Region 10 * Jim Sampulna – Region 11 * Raquil-Ali Lucman – Region 12 * Nilo Tamoria – Region 4-A (retain) * Marcial Amaro – Region 4-B (retain) * Joselin Marcus Fragada – Region 5 (retain) Atienza ordered the affected officials to immediately clear themselves from all their accountabilities and report directly to their new assignment on January 9. They were also barred from bringing their service vehicles to their new assignments. Officials without assignments, on the other hand, were directed to report to the Office of the Chief of Staff also on January 9. “(This is) in the interest of the service and consistent with the continuing organizational development of the DENR. No less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expects from the department a more vibrant management of our environment and natural wealth and we will do just that,” Atienza said. The DENR chief reminded the regional directors that they would be held liable for any illegal activities such as illegal logging and illegal mining in their respective jurisdictions. - GMANews.TV