President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed retired Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin as the chairperson of the Government Service Insurance System, replacing Rolando Macasaet who acted as officer-in-charge.
An appointment letter released by the Palace Friday showed that President Duterte appointed Bersamin as GSIS chairman on Feb. 6.
The former top magistrate will head the government-owned and controlled corporation until June 30, as stated in the appointment letter.
“We are confident that Mr. Bersamin would serve the GSIS with the same dedication and integrity he demonstrated in his many years of government service,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
Bersamin, who spent a decade of service in the Supreme Court and retired as Chief Justice last year, was also appointed as member of the Board of Trustees of GSIS.
Bersamin joined the new presidential appointees who took oath before Duterte at Palace’s Rizal Hall on Feb. 6, photos from Malacañang showed.
Among the issues that he would face as the new GSIS chairman is the planned sale of a 67-hectare property at the Manila North Harbor, which is operated by Enrique Razon-led International Container Terminal Services Inc.
Under the leadership of resigned GSIS president Jesus Clint Aranas, there was a plan to sell the land on which Razon’s flagship port operation stands. However, Razon insists that the GSIS has a “naked title” only and has no right to use or sell the property.