Marcos Appoints Retired Justice Melchor Sadang as New PCGG Chairman

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Melchor Quirino Sadang as the new chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in the Philippines. The announcement of Sadang's appointment was made by the Presidential Communications Office on April 22, 2024, along with several other appointments.

Sadang, who retired from the Court of Appeals in 2017, replaces John Agbayani as the head of the PCGG. He is the fifth appointee and the second justice from the appellate court appointed by Marcos to the agency tasked with recovering the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family and their associates during the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s rule.

Prior to his appointment, Sadang served as a judge in the Cavite Regional Trial Court. Last year, he was part of a panel that screened police generals and colonels as part of an internal cleansing process. The other current PCGG commissioners are Elihu Ybañez, Marco Bautitsa, Rogelio Quevedo, and Angelito Vergel de Dios, all appointed by Marcos.

Why this matters: The PCGG was established after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution to recover the wealth stolen by the Marcos family and their cronies during the late dictator's rule. As of 2020, the government has recovered P174.2 billion from the Marcos ill-gotten wealth through the PCGG. However, the agency has faced calls for its abolition given that Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator, is now the president.

In a statement, the PCGG welcomed Sadang's appointment, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the agency in its ongoing efforts to recover the remaining ill-gotten wealth. "We are committed to fulfilling our mandate and bringing justice to the Filipino people," the statement read.

Key Takeaways

• Marcos Jr. appoints retired CA Justice Sadang as new PCGG chairman.
• Sadang replaces John Agbayani as head of the agency tasked with recovering Marcos ill-gotten wealth.
• PCGG has recovered P174.2 billion from Marcos ill-gotten wealth as of 2020.
• PCGG faces calls for abolition due to Marcos Jr. becoming president.
• PCGG expresses confidence in Sadang's ability to lead the agency's ongoing recovery efforts.