Arroyo names former chief of PNP as NIA head

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday named Arturo Lomibao, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, as head of the National Irrigation Adminstration (NIA). Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita denied that the move was a "militarization" of the government bureacracy. Lomibao retired as PNP chief in July. In his speech during the turn-over ceremonies of the PNP leadership, he announced he would take a long-overdue vacation and think over whether or not to accept new government appointment. Meanwhile, Cerge Remonde was named head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). He is currently the head of the Government Mass Media Group of the Office of the Press Secretary. NAPC's current head, Zamzamin Ampatuan, will be transferred to the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA). Other appointees were Thaddeus Venturanza as commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Zamzamin Ampatuan as chief executive officer of the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) and Habib Mudjahab Hashim as administrator and ex-oficio vice chair of the SPDA. Saeed Daof, Yusop Jikiri, Hadja Bainon Karon and Mohammad Ali Basir Lucman were also appointed as members of the SPDA board of directors.-GMANews.TV