Following Faeldon’s appointment to OCD, Ejercito says he prefers appointees with “no derogatory record”

(Eagle News) — Senator JV Ejercito on Thursday said that he respects President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to appoint former Bureau of Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon to the Office of the Civil Defense.

But in a text message, Ejercito said he “would rather that appointees or those who intend to run for public office (do) not have any derogatory record or blemish in their track record.”

According to Ejercito, this was because they were “entering public service.”

“Public service is a public trust,” he said.

The appointment of Faeldon as deputy administrator III of the office under the Department of National Defense was contained in a letter dated December 22 and signed by the President.

Duterte made the appointment even if Faeldon remains in detention in the Senate.

This was after senators cited him in contempt for his refusal to attend subsequent blue ribbon committee hearings on the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that entered the country in May, and on corruption in the BoC, which he headed until he resigned.

Senator Panfilo Lacson has also accused Faeldon of receiving a P100-million “gift” when he took the helm of the Customs bureau.