PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has named Eduardo Eddie Guillen acting administrator of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Press Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed to reporters on Monday.

“We confirm the appointment of Eduardo Eddie G. Guillen as the Acting Administrator and Member, Board  of Directors, National Irrigation Administration,” Garafil said.

Guillen took his oath of office before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Monday morning. 

A former mayor of Piddig, Ilocos Norte, Guillen replaced Benny Antiporda, who has been slapped with a six-month suspension order by the Ombudsman following an administrative complaint by NIA employees.

The order stemmed from the complaints filed against him by the NIA Employees Association of the Philippines accusing him of Grave Misconduct, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, and Oppression.

Among other things, the complainants claimed that Antiporda allegedly vented his ire on NIA employees by preventing them from traveling, which they said would be “counterproductive” to their work.

Photo credit: NIA Facebook