MANILA, Philippines — Former Interior secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento on Wednesday took his oath as the head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru).
Sarmiento was sworn in by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a ceremony in Malacañang.
He replaced retired military general Carlito Galvez Jr., who announced his departure from Opapru after eight years last Tuesday.
The Opapru leads the government’s peace efforts, handling negotiations with insurgent groups and overseeing programs on reconciliation, reintegration, and development in conflict-affected areas, particularly in Mindanao.