Former Navy – Maniolas

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed retired Navy Flag Officer in Command Alexander Pama as undersecretary under the Office of the Executive Secretary, Malacañang announced Friday.

But while his official designation is undersecretary under the Executive Secretary, reliable sources said Pama will head the National Coast Watch Council, an inter-agency body created by President Aquino in 2011.

Based on information made available to reporters, Aquino signed Pama’s appointment papers on May 31.

Prior to his appointment, Pama, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1979, served as Navy chief until his retirement on Dec. 21 last year.

He was replaced by current head of the Navy Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.

Not the first

Pama is not the first retired military or police officer to be appointment to a civilian post by President Aquino.

Others before Pama were former military chief Eduardo Oban Jr., who was appointed Department of Transportation and Communications undersecretary in Nov. 2012 and Ricardo David Jr., another former military chief, who was named Immigration chief in March 2011.

Retired general Nestor Ochoa, who once served as acting chief of staff, is currently Philippine envoy to Brunei Darussalam. He was appointed by Aquino in April 2011.

Retired Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, who was the 30th flag-officer-in-command of the Philippine Navy, was also appointed director of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) in May 2012.

Another retired military officer, Lt. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, previously headed the Bureau of Corrections following his appointment in July 2011. Pangilinan would later resign December 2012 after the alleged abduction of murder convict Rolito Go.

Just last March, retired police officer Franklin Jesus Bucayu was named officer-in-charge Bureau of Corrections. — Patricia Denise Chiu/RSJ, GMA News