Duterte 'effectively' sacked Diño from SBMA over complaints, says Panelo

Former SBMA chairman Martin Diño has confirmed that he has been offered the position of DILG Undersecretary and has accepted | @zenhernandez pic.twitter.com/DE7iapeLPH

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) September 27, 2017

(UPDATED) Fresh from his exit as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Martin Diño announced Wednesday that he has accepted an offer to stay in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte as an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In a press conference, Diño confirmed that he has been tapped as DILG undersecretary.

Once appointed, Diño said he will give Barangay chairmen a week to report all drug suspects and activities in their area or else face probable suspension or removal from office.

Diño also promised that he will end alleged extra judicial killings by increasing the participation of village officials, who will be tasked to certify the legitimacy of police anti-drug operations.

NOW: @zenhernandez gives details on Martin Diño's acceptance of DILG Usec. post. pic.twitter.com/3pGiXDNcEI

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) September 27, 2017

BOOTED OUT?

President Rodrigo Duterte removed Diño from his previous post following complaints about "the way he was running the SBMA," said Salvador Panelo, the chief presidential legal counsel.

"Marami rin akong nakausap na investors dun. Ayaw nila si Diño," he said, adding he advised them to outline their concerns in a letter to the president.

Duterte had the matter investigated and decided "effectively" to sack Diño by assigning a concurrent SBMA chairman and administrator, Panelo said.

Wilma Eisma on Tuesday took oath as both SBMA chairman and administrator.

Eisma’s appointment ends the power struggle between her and Diño. They had been at odds over certain decisions in the agency, issuing contradicting orders that had affected SBMA operations.

It also comes in the wake of the President’s signing of Executive Order No. 42, which repeals EO 340 issued by former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004.

The old EO had separated the “powers, functions and duties of the Chairman of the SBMA Board and the Administrator as Chief Executive Officer of the SBMA.”

In repealing the Arroyo order, Duterte noted that it “created confusion with regard to the scope of authority, powers, functions and duties of the Chairman of the SBMA Board and the Administrator of the SBMA that has adversely affected the operations of the SBMA, as well as of the numerous investors and locators therein.”

Diño, a former chairperson of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), served as the presidential candidate of Duterte's party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan, in the May 2016 elections until then Davao City Mayor Duterte decided to run for the position, replacing him at the last minute.

His daughter Liza Diño-Seguerra was appointed Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson in August while her spouse Aiza Seguerra was appointed Chairperson of the National Youth Commission.

With reports from Zen Hernandez and Christian Esguerra, ABS-CBN News