Retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Ricardo Visaya is the new administrator of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
According to Radyo Inquirer, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Pi帽ol on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Visaya, saying that President Rodrigo Duterte himself announced that Visaya is the new head of NIA after a Cabinet meeting on Monday evening.
This is after Duterte鈥檚 former campaign spokesperson, Peter Tiu Lavi帽a resigned as head of the said agency last week amid allegations of corruption.
READ: Duterte campaign spokesman Peter Lavi帽a out as Irrigation chief
Pi帽ol said that Visaya is Duterte鈥檚 personal choice.
Visaya served as the 47th Chief of Staff of the AFP and was the Commanding General of AFP Southern Luzon Command from September 2014 to July 2016.
Visaya retired upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 in December 2016.
Meanwhile, Engineer C鈥檢ar Sulaik was appointed the new deputy administrator of NIA.
In a press briefing last week, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella dismissed reports that Lavi帽a was sacked by the President. He read the official statement from the Office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio 鈥淛un鈥� Evasco, which stated that Lavi帽a tendered his resignation. RAM/rga