MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairperson Martin Diño as undersecretary at the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Appointment papers released by Malacañang on Tuesday showed that Duterte signed Diño’s appointment as DILG undersecretary.

President Duterte appoints Martin Diño as DILG undersecretary pic.twitter.com/KOogpfLCVG

— Dharel Placido (@dgplacido) January 9, 2018

Diño, who was instrumental in the 2016 election bid of the President, in late September 2017 had to relinquish his post as SBMA chairperson after the Chief Executive appointed SBMA administrator Wilma Eisma as concurrent chairperson of the agency.

• Martin Diño out as SBMA chair

Immediately after his departure from SBMA in September 2017, Diño claimed that he was offered a post at the DILG.

• Martin Diño exits SBMA, goes to DILG

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.