“But (Roland) Llamas was forced to give up his DBP board seat when it was pointed out to him that Bangko Sentral “fit and proper” rules required a bank director to possess at least a COLLEGE DEGREE, something that he did not have."
Taken from Jojo Robles
For that matter, Llamas isn’t even really a seasoned political operative, as far as the people who scratched their heads upon learning of his appointment as chief political adviser of President Noynoy Aquino are concerned. Sure, he did political advising for the aborted presidential run of Mar Roxas, to whom he was seconded by Akbayan when the Liberal Party called, but that was his first exposure to the political mainstream.
Llamas flirted with joining the Villar campaign also, before the LP junked Roxas and decided to go full-tilt for the son on Cory Aquino after her death—in the process sweeping Llamas all the way into the inner circle as a political operative of this largely accidental presidency. Apart from his socialist organizing for Bisig and involvement with Akbayan, organizations which can be classified as politically marginal, at best, that about sums up the qualifications of Llamas for his current post.
Llamas wasn’t even chosen to head up the political adviser’s office in the beginning. He sought and was given, as his reward, a directorship in the Development Bank of the Philippines, where he apparently would act as the Palace’s eyes and ears in the bid to expose the supposed irregularities committed in that state financial institution during the Arroyo government.
(As an aside, Llamas is believed to have been assigned to ferret out the supposed sweetheart deals entered into by DBP during the previous government to favor First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. This includes the Philex mining share purchase and sellout involving Roberto Ongpin.)
But Llamas was forced to give up his DBP board seat when it was pointed out to him that Bangko Sentral “fit and proper” rules required a bank director to possess at least a college degree, something that he did not have. But this debacle, instead of slowing down Llamas’ rise, led to his promotion; he was later appointed chief political adviser of Aquino.
And so, from being a mere director at a state-owned bank, Llamas became a top Palace functionary with the Cabinet rank that allows him to use “6” plates. And, apparently, to rate armed bodyguards and backup vehicles.
Suddenly, his life is also in danger, even if no previous political adviser that we can recall ever had any real enemies that would want them dead. And he finds nothing wrong with allegedly wanting to keep his movements unmonitored, to safeguard his life, and riding around town in an SUV that reads “6 OPA” proclaiming just who the vehicle’s occupant is.
No, Llamas, the former peacenik pinko socialist is not a gun nut hawk with threats to his life who has a sensitive position that justifies his ownership of two assault rifles and three handguns. He’s just aping his current boss, just like he used to ape his former idol Dodong Nemenzo.
And that’s why he will never be fired.
