Lopez kingpin gets prime Tokyo posting
By Michaela P. del Callar 10/11/2010Lopez conglomerate heir apparent and Lopez Holdings chairman and chief executive Manuel “Manolo” Lopez was appointed by President Aquino as the country’s Ambassador to Japan, a designation that distinctly smelled of political payback.
The Lopezes are known supporters of Aquino and the group’s broadcast arm, the ABS-CBN Network, went all-out in playing up the candidacy of Aquino.
Lopez belongs to one of the country’s oldest and powerful clan. Aquino also has retained a few of former President Arroyo’s political envoys, Foreign Affairs sources said yesterday.
Lopez, 67, will replace Domingo Siazon, who served as Foreign Affairs Secretary to President Fidel Ramos from 1995 to 1998 and President Joseph Estrada from 1998 to 2001. Siazon was immediately assigned to Tokyo after the downfall of Estrada who was ousted by a military-backed revolt in 2001.
Sources said Lopez visited Tokyo last month to “conduct an ocular inspection” of the embassy and to “familiarize himself” with the chancery and the staff..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101011hed2.html
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