MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) deputy commissioner Jesus Clint Aranas as a member of the board of trustees of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). 

Aranas’ appointment papers were released to media on Friday, November 10. 

Pres. Duterte appoints BIR deputy commissioner Jesus Clint Aranas as member of GSIS board of trustees. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/kskr5rJ8UR

— Pia Ranada (@piaranada) November 10, 2017

According to the document, Aranas is taking the place of Francisco Duque III whom Duterte recently appointed health secretary.

Aranas will serve Duque’s term, set to expire on June 30, 2018. He has said the President has plans to appoint him GSIS president.

In the BIR, Aranas faced controversy for going head-to-head with BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, a former dorm mate of the President’s back in their law school days.

Aranas wanted to investigate why the BIR accepted P65.4 million from Del Monte Philippines Incorporated (DMPI) to settle 3 years of tax discrepancies valued at P8.7 billion. The issue had led to a plunder case against Dulay and other BIR officials.

Dulay stopped this, saying there was already a larger investigation being carried out by the Department of Finance, of which the BIR is an attached agency.

Duterte had previously said he would not interfere in the infighting unless there was a “compelling reason” for him to do so. He said he preferred to leave the issue to Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez to fix.

Aranas enjoys his own ties with Duterte. He helped the President in his 2016 campaign and was national treasurer of his political party, PDP-Laban. – Rappler.com