QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) – Former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Roy Cimatu is a good choice as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), according to Senator Panfilo Lacson.
“He is definitely a good choice. I happen to know him all the way back to our military days,” said Lacson in a statement after Cimatu’s appointment.
Lacson said that he knows Cimatu since the time that they were both in the Philippine Military Academy.
The senator also considered Cimatu as competent, sensible and highly qualified.
He also said that Cimatu was able to perform well as AFP Chief of Staff and as ambassador to the Middle East, among others.
Cimatu replaced environmentalist Gina Lopez as DENR chief after the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected her ad interim appointment in a secret vote.
Cimatu is also the second retired general to head the DENR, the first being former AFP and defense chief Angelo Reyes.
He joined the ranks of other former AFP chiefs who are serving the Duterte administration.
The other former AFP heads are National Irrigation Administration chief Ricardo Visaya, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, Office of the President Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista, and Defense Undersecretary Ricardo David.