GALLERY: Who are Duterte’s San Beda appointees to gov’t?

Michael Bueza

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GALLERY: Who are Duterte’s San Beda appointees to gov’t?
(UPDATED) From the Cabinet to the courts, many of the President's schoolmates and classmates have been appointed to key government positions

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Not only is President Rodrigo Duterte the first Mindanaoan to be elected to the nation’s top post, he is also the first graduate from San Beda College to achieve such a feat.

Duterte earned his law degree from the Benedictine-run institution in 1972.

Since his election, many of Duterte’s fellow schoolmates and classmates have been appointed to key positions in his administration.

For instance, 4 secretaries in his Cabinet are from San Beda. In speeches, Duterte described them as bright and brilliant people.

His first two appointees to the Supreme Court and to the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan are also Bedans.

Here’s a gallery of San Beda alumni appointed by President Duterte to various government posts. You can filter the list per category by clicking on the buttons below.











(NWPC website)

Federico Abuan Jr
Assistant secretary,
Department of Labor & Employment
Law, 1977



(PCGG website)

John Agbayani
Commissioner,
Presidential Commission on Good Government
Law, 1978



(Rappler photo)

Vitaliano Aguirre II
Secretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 1971



(Twitter account)

Adnan Alonto
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Yemen
Law, 1985



(SSS website)

Arthur Amansec
Commissioner,
Social Security Commission
Law, 1972



(Facebook account)

Emilio Aquino
Commissioner,
Securities and Exchange Commission
Law, 1992



(IACAT-News DOJ FB page)

Erickson Balmes
Undersecretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 2000



(SRA Facebook page)

Roland Beltran
Board member (miller’s representative),
Sugar Regulatory Administration
Law, 1989



(SBLAA testimonial dinner program)

Rudolfo Bernardez IV
Representative, Luzon dairy cooperatives,
National Dairy Authority
Law, 1986-87



(PCGG website)

Rey Bulay
Commissioner,
Presidential Commission on Good Government
Law, 2001



(Añover Law website)

Antonio Cablitas
Presidential adviser on investments
Law, 1972



(CICC Facebook page)

Carlos Mayorico Caliwara
Assistant secretary,
Department of Information & Communications Technology
Law, 1987



(Packaging Inst. of Phils. FB)

Raul Canon Jr
Assistant secretary,
Department of Transportation
Law, 2010



(Duterte Law ’72 classmates website)

Bienvenido Chy
General manager and CEO,
Philippine Retirement Authority
Law, 1972



(PNOC website)

Marvel Chiu Clavecilla
Director,
Philippine National Oil Company
Law, 1972



(LeAnne Jazul/Rappler)

Lanee Cui-David
Deputy commissioner,
Bureau of Internal Revenue
Law, 1989-94



(BuCor website)

Benjamin de los Santos
Director general,
Bureau of Corrections
Law, 1978



(PICC Facebook page)

Garry de Guzman
Undersecretary,
Department of Transportation
Law, 1994



(SSS website)

Emmanuel Dooc
President and CEO,
Social Security System
Law, 1979



(SSS website)

Gonzalo Duque
Commissioner,
Social Security Commission
Law, 1976



(DILG Facebook page)

Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri
Assistant secretary,
Department of the Interior and Local Government
Philosophy



(c/o SBCAA)

Bernelito Fernandez
Associate Justice,
Sandiganbayan
Law, 1980



(Insurance Comm. website)

Dennis Funa
Commissioner,
Insurance Commission
Law, 1990



(SBLAA testimonial dinner program)

John Paul Ganalon
General counsel,
Governance Commission for GOCCs
Law, 2007



(GenSan Coun. Bagonoc FB)

Rogelio Garcia
Director,
Development Bank of the Philippines
Law, 1971



(Bureau of Customs PH FB)

Ma. Rhea Gregorio
District collector,
Port of Manila, Bureau of Customs
Law, 2005



(JBC website)

Toribio Ilao Jr
Member,
Judicial and Bar Council
Law, 1972



(N.Samar Prov’l Board Google album)

Teodoro Jumamil
Director,
Development Bank of the Philippines
Law, 1978



(Vernise Tantuco/Rappler)

Rudolf Philip Jurado
Government Corporate Counsel
Law, 1985-87



(Phil. Competition Comm. FB)

Antonio Kho Jr
Undersecretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 1991



(SBMA website)

Tomas Lahom III
Director,
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Law, 1985



(PAGCOR website)

Alfredo C. Lim
President and COO,
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
Law, 1976



(Facebook)

Abdullah Mamao
Presidential adviser on OFWs
Law, 1972



(DTI-EMB Facebook page)

Vincent Philip Maronilla
District collector,
Manila International Container Port, Bureau of Customs
Law, 1999-2000



(SC website)

Samuel Martires
Associate Justice,
Supreme Court
Law, 1975




Raymund Mecate
Undersecretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 1992



(Richard Madelo/Presidential Photo)

Salvador Medialdea
Executive Secretary,
Law, 1976



(LinkedIn account)

Leah Merida-Quiambao
Assistant secretary,
Department of Transportation
Law, 2006



(GAB website)

Abraham Kahlil Mitra
Chairman,
Games and Amusement Board
BSC-Management, 1991



(DOJ website)

Reynante Orceo
Undersecretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 1992-94



(Feria Law website)

George Ortha II
Assistant secretary,
Department of Justice
Law, 2002



(Treston Int’l College FB page)

Lorifer Pahimna
Associate Justice,
Sandiganbayan
Law, 1986



(Upsilon Sigma Phi FB page)

Jesus Melchor Quitain
Undersecretary,
Office of the President
Law, 1970



(LinkedIn account)

John Carlo Gil Sadian
Director IV,
Office of the President
Law, 2011



(Globe Telecom photo)

Rodolfo Salalima
Secretary,
Department of Information & Communications Technology
Law, 1973



(Rappler)

Rene Sarmiento
Member,
Government Peace Negotiating Panel
Political Science, 1974



(PMDC website)

Alberto Sipaco Jr
Chairman and CEO,
Philippine Mining Development Corporation
Law, 1971



(PDIC website)

Reynaldo Tansioco
Director,
Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation
Law, 1972



(SC website)

Noel Tijam
Associate Justice,
Supreme Court
Law, 1971



(Martin San Diego/Rappler)

Arthur Tugade
Secretary,
Department of Transportation
Law, 1971



(NTA Facebook page)

Mel John Verzosa
Deputy administrator,
National Tobacco Administration
Law, 2010



Some of the officials above are also members of the Lex Talionis Fraternitas, a fraternity founded at the San Beda College of Law in 1969. Duterte, Alberto Sipaco Jr, and Joel Babista established a chapter of Lex Talionis in Ateneo de Davao University in 1974.

Other Bedans in gov’t

Two other Supreme Court associate justices, appointed by Duterte’s predecessors, also graduated from San Beda: Justices Bienvenido Reyes and Jose Catral Mendoza. Both will retire this year – Reyes on July 6 and Mendoza on August 13.

According to the San Beda Law Alumni Association, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega was likewise a San Beda alumna, but she was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III in January 2016.

Jose Arturo Garcia, also a Bedan, was appointed by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo Lim as OIC assistant general manager for planning.

Meanwhile, Bedans Arthel Caronongan (Law, 1986) and Alberto Regino Jr (Law, 1997) serve as the chiefs of staff to the chairman and president, respectively, of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).

On the other hand, in Duterte’s first year, a few Bedans were fired or have resigned due to controversy.

Duterte sacked ex-immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles for their alleged involvement in an extortion try on gaming tycoon Jack Lam.

Meanwhile, Transportation Undersecretary and Government Corporate Counsel Raoul Creencia reportedly resigned shortly after his name was included among those whom House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said had “conflicts of interest” while serving in government. – Rappler.com

Editor’s Note: In a previous version of this story, we included Reinier Paul Yebra in the gallery of Duterte appointees to government. He was added to the list by the San Beda Alumni office but we were informed that he has yet to be formally appointed. We have taken his name out for now.

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Michael Bueza

Michael is a data curator under Rappler's Tech Team. He works on data about elections, governance, and the budget. He also follows the Philippine pro wrestling scene and the WWE. Michael is also part of the Laffler Talk podcast trio.