MANILA, Philippines — The head of the government-run Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has been stripped of authority over personnel amid an escalating internecine strife among President Rodrigo Duterte’s press officers. PIA Director General Harold Clavite received on Tuesday an order from Communications Secretary Martin Andanar subjecting his decision to hire, fire or discipline employees to Andanar’s final approval. The order came a day after the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) announced that it was investigating Clavite for alleged corruption. Without political backing, he was appointed head of the PIA, a post typically reserved for established journalists or publicists. In 2015, Clavite joined the digital communications team of the UNDP’s Communications Group, handling social media, web content and web project management.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 12, 2019 23:15 UTC