Duterte to fire 5 more gov’t officials

May 20, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to fire five more government officials due to alleged corruption.

"I'm inclined to to fire somebody... I'd just want to talk to him before I do that. This one undersecretary of... Well, of course, I'll just... (remove) them all, and they are about five in the list," Duterte said during his speech before local executives in Cebu City on Saturday.

He did not mention any name but he said one of the officials talked with his sister asking for help in one of his projects.

"Now, this guy he ran afoul within the department and sought the help of I think my sister... I said, 'remove him.' I said, 'fire him out.' His violation? He violated my order that when he mentioned my name or talking to my relatives, even on a conversation about a project only, I’ll kick you out," he said.

He said public office is “an opportunity to make money”.

In a separate speech during the opening of oil and gas production in Alegria, Cebu, Duterte said he might also fire the Government Corporate Council.

He also cited the removal recently of Department of Public Works and Highways assistant secretary even if he was his fraternity brother at the law school.

“I made the DPWH assistant secretary resign. He’s my brod in law school, but I made him resign too,” he said, referring to Tingagun Ampaso Umpa.

The president said he already made a lot of people resign.

“When I hired you, you already knew my character. I told you, 'Don’t'. Don’t be corrupt because corruption is not a vice of mine”,” he said.

"No offense intended. But it is still --- public office is an opportunity really to make money," he added.

Duterte said that in his long years in government service, he never intervened in any government project or asked money from anyone.

The President has already fired several government officials due to alleged corruption and other illegal activities. Ella Dionisio/DMS