President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed his former legal consultant Warren Rex Hernandez Liong to the second-highest position in the Office of the Ombudsman.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed Liong’s appointment as Overall Deputy Ombudsman (ODO) in a statement on Thursday night.

“The Palace confirms that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed the appointment of Mr. Warren Rex Hernandez Liong as Overall Deputy Ombudsman, Office of the Ombudsman, on November 24, 2020, for a term of seven years,” he said.

Prior to his appointment, Liong was a director at the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Services (DBM-PS).

Liong served as Duterte’s lawyer from August 2010 to June 2013, when the latter was Davao City vice mayor.

He is also former associate at law firm Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

Liong also gave legal advice to Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Duterte’s local political party in Davao City.

He earned his degree in accountancy degree from De La Salle University in 1999. He studied law at Ateneo de Davao University and graduated in 2006.

Liong replaces Melchor Arthur Carandang whom Duterte dismissed in 2018 after he was found liable for graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.

Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, Liong’s boss at DBM-PS, also applied for the ODO vacancy but eventually withdrew.

Roque expressed hope that Liong would be “up to the task” to accomplish his mandate as Overall Deputy Ombudsman.

“The Chief Executive in numerous occasions espoused the values of transparency, accountability and efficiency. We are confident that Mr. Liong similarly share these ideals as our quest for good governance remains unyielding and uncompromising,” he said. (PNA)