MANILA - Malacañang has named Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Prospero De Vera III as the agency’s officer-in-charge.

The designation as OIC of De Vera, an appointee of President Rosrigo Duterte, comes in the wake of the resignation of CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan.

• CHED chair quits, cites phone call from Palace

Palace names Popoy De Vera as CHED officer-in-charge @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/0xolFm3Ad1

— Dharel Placido (@dgplacido) January 26, 2018

Licuanan had said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea phoned asking her to step down ahead of the expiration of her term in July 2018.

"I have decided it is time to go. It has become obvious there are persons determined to get me out of CHED by hurling false and baseless accusations against me in what appears to be a fishing expedition and a well orchestrated move in media," she had said.

Licuanan rejected allegations of excessive travel. She said she had 8 official travels last year, 5 of which were paid by government. She said she had 5 official travels in 2016, 6 in 2015, 2 in 2014 and 3 in 2013.