President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed retired military general Eduardo A?o as undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

A?o's appointment paper was signed on October 26, the same day that he turned over his post as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

Duterte, in a speech on Thursday, said he had to appoint A?o as undersecretary first because of the one year prohibition by law that former military generals could not assume a Cabinet post for one year.

"So in the meantime, from being the Chief of Staff, he will just be occupying an undersecretary sa office. Well, eventually he will be the Secretary of Interior and Local Government," Duterte has said.

A?o will replace Ismael Sueno who was fired by Duterte due to alleged corruption. Celerina Monte/DMS