President Rodrigo Duterte has terminated the deputy chief of one of the government’s disaster response offices due to “loss of trust and confidence.”

Office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Kristoffer James Purisima, who holds the rank of assistant secretary, was removed from his post effective Friday.

“The Palace confirms that Office of the Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima has been relieved from his post effective immediately due to loss of trust and confidence,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Malacanang did not give details as to specifically why Purisima was terminated.

The OCD is the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC.

Purisima’s functions included managing the impact of calamities./Stacy Ang