PRESIDENT Arroyo withdrew her appointment of retired Vice Admiral Tirso Danga as head of the National Printing Office, and after critics pointed to his supposed involvement in the ?Hello Garci? mess.

In that taped message, Mrs. Arroyo?or what appeared to be her voice?appeared to be calling former Election Commissioner Virgilio ?Garci? Garcellano to ask how many votes she?d amassed so far.

Instead of Danga, Mrs. Arroyo chose a retired intelligence official?former police director Servando Hizon?to head the office, which is tasked to print and secure government papers and the ballots for the 2010 elections, among other things.

The President also appointed deputy chief for administration Rolando Bandilla Jr. as acting head of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

She promoted Land Registration Authority director for legal affairs Ronald Ortille as the agency?s deputy administrator.

She also appointed Ma. Lourdes Leones as senior state solicitor, and Cynthia Nierras as assistant secretary of the Presidential Management Staff.

Hizon graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1973 and a classmate fo Danga. He has served as police comptroller and head of the Special Action Force.

Hizon replaces assistant director Dionisia Valbuena, who was apointed officer in charge of the NPO in January after the former head of the agency, Enrique, Agana, was sacked over complaints of anomalous and corrupt transactions.

Less than a week after Agana was fired, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced that Danga had been chosen to head the NPO, but that the President had yet to sign his appointment papers.

Danga was formerly head of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces. Joyce Pango Pa?ares