Duterte to fire ‘many’ officials before China trip
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2019 03:54:41 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will fire “many” government officials due to corruption before he leaves for China next week.
In his speech during a campaign rally in Bacolod City on Thursday night, Duterte said he just wanted to fulfill his promise to rid the government of corruption.
“Lahat pinangako ko ginawa ko. Corruption medyo mabagal na talaga. Ngayon pag ikaw nasa corruption, alis ka (I am doing everything I said. Corruption is now slowing down. Now if you are involved in corruption, you will really get the boot),” the President said.
“Next week when I fly back to report to work before I leave for China, marami akong tatanggalin (I will really fire a number of them),” he added.
Duterte is set to visit China for the fourth time since 2016 to participate in the Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 24 to 27.
In his Thursday speech, the President reiterated his warning that his fight against corruption would spare no one, not even his friends.
“P—-g ina sinabi ko na sa inyo, magkaibigan tayo, magbayad ako ng utang na loob, bigyan kita ng trabaho. Pero ang pinakausap ko sa ‘yo noon na ‘wag lang kayong pumasok sa corruption. ‘Wag ka nang magtanong kung bakit (You sons of whores, we are friends. I will repay my debt to you by giving you work but I ask you one thing: Do not get involved in corruption. Do not ask why),” Duterte said.
“Basta sa panahon ko ‘wag ‘yan. Ayaw ko. In three years kung gusto mo… Ilang Cabinet members na ba ang pinatalsik ko? Lima, anim (Avoid that during my time. I really hate it. In three years if you want then go. How many Cabinet members have I fired already? Five? Six)?” he added.
Amid his relentless crackdown on corruption in government, Duterte threatened on March 26 to fire another set of government officials.
The President did not name them, although he recently issued a similar warning to officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) over their failure to prevent thr water crisis that dogged parts of Metro Manila.
Duterte had required the MWSS officials to submit a report on the water shortage in Metro Manila and nearby areas then he would “decide whether heads will roll or whether the contracts of the concessionaires will be terminated.”
“I will not make a prejudgment, I asked them–everybody concerned–to submit a report by April 10 and I will decide before April 15,” he has said.
Duterte has been trying to fulfill his campaign promise to clean the government, as he has dismissed more than 30 alleged corrupt officials since he came to power in June 2016.
The President had decried corruption and red tape, saying the problem could pave way to a “failed government.”
The latest to leave among his appointees was former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan.
The Palace initially said he was fired “due to serious allegations of corruption,” but later backtracked, saying he resigned.
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