By Aira Miranda

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Eduardo Año as his new national security adviser, replacing Professor Clarita Carlos. 

Año took over for Carlos, who stepped down to join the House of Representatives' Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD).

Año served as secretary of Interior and Local department under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Former DILG Secretary Eduardo Año took his oath before the President as the new National Security Adviser," Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement Saturday.

"Professor Clarita Carlos has decided to continue her pursuit of scholastic endeavors as she joins the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) of the House of Representatives. The CPBRD provides the House of Representatives with technical service in the formulation of national economic, fiscal, and social policies," she added.

Meanwhile, Carlos stated that she has decided to "migrate" to the House's CPBRD in order to use her expertise in foreign, defense, and security policy.

"I have realized that it is no longer politic to continue as NSA to the President and so, I have decided to migrate to another agency where my expertise on foreign, defense and security policy will be of use... and I shall continue to help build a Better Philippines," Carlos said in a statement.

During her short stint as security adviser, Carlos pushed to end “red-tagging,” especially those who are critical of the government.

Labeling ba helps you? No. Huwag mo na aksayahin ang panahon mo na maglabel-label ka dyan. That’s what I mean. I'm sure maraming nagalit sakin. Karapatan mo naman magalit pero karapatan ko rin mag-insist that labeling does not work,” she said in an interview last June.

Just recently, Marcos also appointed a Duterte-era AFP chief Carlito Galvez as secretary of the Department of National Defense, replacing officer-in-charge Jose Faustino, Jr.