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Ex-PNP chief Camilo Cascolan appointed as DOH undersecretary

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Former PNP Chief Camilo Cascolan has been appointed Heatlh Undersecretary. ABS-CBN News file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/04/19/20170609-camilo-cascolan-md.jpg"/><figcaption>Former PNP Chief Camilo Cascolan has been appointed Heatlh Undersecretary. <em>ABS-CBN News file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>- Former Philippine National Police chief Camilo Cascolan has been appointed as an undersecretary of the Department of Health, the agency confirmed Sunday.</p><p>Cascolan took over the position of Roger Tong-an as undersecretary. Atty. Charade Mercado-Grande has also been appointed as assistant secretary.</p><p>&quot;Yes, we confirm the receipt of the appointment papers of Mr. Camilo Cascolan, Atty Charade Mercado-Grande and several directors,&quot; DOH told reporters in a message. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="EMBED CASCOLAN APPOINTMENT" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/10/23/cascolan-appointment.jpg"/><figcaption> </figcaption></figure></div><p>DOH said it will provide more details about the new appointments as soon as available.</p><p>The DOH meanwhile still has no Secretary, almost four months into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr&#x27;s term.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=447876970813417&amp;id=100067733526297&amp;sfnsn=mo" target="_blank">statement</a>, the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) denounced Cascolan’s appointment, calling it a “manifestation of the President’s extreme lack of concern for the lives, health, safety and welfare of health workers and the entire Filipino nation.”</p><p>“Cascolan’s appointment is a huge insult to our health experts who are most qualified to administer and run the affairs of the DOH,” AHW added.</p><p>AHW also expressed concern at Cascolan’s appointment, considering his past as PNP chief and one of the brains behind the bloody Oplan Tokhang.</p><p>“Cascolan crafted the Oplan Double Barrel, the police’s bible in anti-drug operations under the Duterte administration which institutionalized the Oplan High-Value Target and Oplan Tokhang. The anti-drug campaign has killed thousands of Filipinos and victims have been deprived of justice up to now,” it said.</p><p>“Health workers prefer an Undersecretary who has a clean tract record, not a red-tagger, one whose hands are not tainted with the bloody drug war and one who truly upholds the rule of justice. They want to work with a health Undersecretary who is an expert in eradicating deadly and infectious diseases, not an expert in violating human rights and extrajudicial killings,” AHW added.</p><p>AHW likewise reiterated its call for the appointment of a DOH secretary.</p><p>“Once again, health workers urgently call PBBM to appoint a DOH Secretary now. A DOH chief who is determined to protect and defend the health workers against discrimination, intimidation and violence including cases of red-tagging and killings. One who values the justness of the health workers call for salary increase, better benefits and humane working conditions. A DOH Chief that will prioritize the people’s health more than anything,” it said.</p><p>Prior to his appointment at the DOH, Cascolan was appointed as undersecretary at the Office of the President in February 2021. He also served as PNP chief from September to November 2020.</p><p>Cascolan held various positions within the PNP, including Director of the PNP Civil Security Group and chief of the Directorial Staff of the Philippine National Police, among others.</p><p>He also served as the regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office in 2018.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/01/18/cascolan-bids-goodbye-as-ncrpo-chief">Cascolan bids goodbye as NCRPO chief</a></li></ul><p>Cascolan was among those who authored Oplan Double Barrel, which became the PNP’s flagship program in the war against illegal drugs. The controversial “Oplan Tokhang” which is linked to thousands of deaths of drug suspects, was implemented under this program.</p><p>Cascolan is part of the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala class of 1986 along with other former PNP chiefs Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde.</p><div><strong>- With a report from Anna Cerezo, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2304860" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Former Philippine National Police chief Camilo Cascolan has been appointed as an undersecretary of the Department of Health, the agency confirmed Sunday.