JESUS Melchor Quitain (right, in photo), a former undersecretary of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, was named as the new chief presidential legal counsel, according to a top Malacañang official on Tuesday
Quitain was formerly the city administrator of Davao City when President Rodrigo Duterte was still its mayor, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
He replaces Salvador Panelo, who will run for senator in next year’s elections.
Panelo joins other Palace officials who decided to run for national posts, including Agrarian Reform secretary John Castriciones, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) chief Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Greco Belgica.
Former Public Works and Highways chief Mark Villar earlier filed his Certificate of Candidacy to run also as senator.
(PHOTO CREDIT: pna.gov.ph)