MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has formally appointed former Armed Forces chief Eduardo Año as an undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

LOOK: Appointment paper of Año as DILG undersecretary @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/FOTNblj597

— Dharel Placido (@dgplacido) October 27, 2017

Duterte had wanted to appoint Año as DILG chief, replacing the sacked Ismael Sueno, but a law bars the retired AFP chief from taking the post within a year from his retirement. [LAW -]

The President, during the Armed Forces change of command ceremony on Thursday, said he would instead name Año as undersecretary while waiting for the one-year ban to lapse.

He said Año will oversee the Philippine National Police (PNP) with DILG officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy.

On May 10, Duterte said he had picked Año to head the DILG following the firing of then DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno over corruption allegations.

But Año was unable to immediately assume his designation at the DILG after the Marawi siege erupted less than two weeks later and he was made chief martial law implementor.

The Marawi conflict ended this week following five months of firefights between state forces and Islamic State-linked Maute terrorists, but martial law remains in effect in Mindanao.

Año was replaced at the AFP by Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, who shall serve as Chief of Staff until December, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.