Logan named chief presidential legal counsel
President Marcos has filled the key roles in Malacañang left vacant following last month’s Cabinet shake-up and the passing of his trusted legal adviser.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the President has named lawyer Anna Liza Logan as the new chief presidential legal counsel.
Logan replaced the late former Senate President and defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who died on Nov. 13 at the age of 101.
Prior to her appointment as Marcos’ chief lawyer, Logan was the deputy executive secretary for legal affairs of the Office of the President, and concurrently served as a member of the Philippine National Railways’ board of directors.
The chief presidential legal counsel provides legal advice and assistance to the President, and performs such other duties and functions as the President may assign.
Logan, who had worked for several law firms before joining the government, earned her law degree from San Beda University and was admitted to the bar in 1998.
Close associate
She is considered a close associate of first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, having been a junior partner of the Marcos Ochoa Serapio and Tan, a law firm cofounded by Araneta-Marcos in 2006.
She was a founding partner of Logan Masukat Ronulo Huang Law Office, and an associate of the Agabin Verzola Hermoso Layaoen & De Castro law firm.
According to her profile, Logan has extensive law practice in civil and criminal litigation; Family, Labor, and Human Settlements Adjudication Commission cases; and corporate and commercial practice for financial technology companies, real estate development entities, and nongovernmental organizations.
Logan was among the 17 applicants for Ombudsman before President Marcos gave the position to former Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla in October.
During her interview before the Judicial and Bar Council panel in September, Logan said her priority in her first 100 days in office if she were appointed as Ombudsman would be for the office to come up with a “national anticorruption strategy.”
She also wanted to amend the policies of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires that restricted public access to the statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth of public officials, and halted lifestyle checks.
According to Logan, before proceeding with lifestyle checks, the Office of the Ombudsman should first ensure that guidelines were in place and its personnel had proper training to properly conduct such checks.
Recto’s men, women
Malacañang also announced the appointment of six more officials of the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES), which is now headed by Ralph Recto.
The six lawyers were all connected to Recto one way or another.
Maria Luwalhati Dorotan Tiuseco, named senior deputy executive secretary, previously served as Department of Finance (DOF) undersecretary during the term of Recto.
Danielle Marie Rieza-Culangen, appointed deputy executive secretary for general administration, was an assistant secretary when Recto was finance secretary.
Joseph Irvin Obenza is the new deputy executive secretary for financial affairs. He previously worked as a supervising legislative staff officer of the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which was cochaired by Recto when he was senator.
Andres, Mosquito
Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Hermogenes Andres was appointed as the new deputy executive secretary.
Andres previously served as chief of staff to former Vice President Noli de Castro, where he was exposed to the influential “Wednesday Group” of senators composed of De Castro, Recto, incumbent Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, billionaire Manny Villar, and the late Joker Arroyo.
Alemar Mosquito was named assistant secretary to the OES. He previously served as director of the DOF when Recto was its chief.
Despite the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Investment and Economic Affairs reportedly being abolished, the President appointed Erwin Santa Ana as undersecretary for economic affairs.
Before his return to government, Santa Ana was the senior adviser to the executive director of the World Bank. He also served as deputy treasurer at the Bureau of the Treasury.
