MANILA, Philippines – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte plans to appoint former Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) chief Alfonso Cusi as energy secretary, his spokesman said on Friday, May 20.
Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo confirmed the choice of Cusi to media Friday afternoon. (LIST: Who's who in the incoming Duterte Cabinet)
Cusi was Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager before his stint in the CAAP.
He is a known political ally of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and was widely believed to have been forced out of his position when President Benigno Aquino III assumed office.
As MIAA general manager, Cusi focused on getting ISO 900 certification for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals to ensure that the facilities complied with international standards on safety and security.
Cusi was also one of the respondents in a case wherein Arroyo was accused of bribing election officials in Mindanao in the 2004 elections. Cusi was accused of helping provide transportation to facilitate the bribery.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, however, dismissed the case for lack of evidence. – Rappler.com