Duterte set to fire another government exec, several cops

AMID his crackdown against corruption in government, President Rodrigo Duterte is set to fire another high-ranking government official, three generals and several policemen because of alleged irregularities.

Duterte, in a speech delivered on Thursday, January 11, announced that he would fire them “maybe this week.”

The President did not give further details about the official who will be sacked, except that he or she is a “chairman of an entity in government.”

He added that he was also planning to dismiss three generals and more than 40 police officers over their supposed involvement in corruption.

“I am not a saint. I have also faults in life. But corruption is money (that) has never been really an issue even to myself. I am in the thick of firing people. I intend to fire another maybe 70 or 49 policemen and three generals for corruption,” Duterte said during Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s event held at Manila Hotel.

“You are abetting a thing which we have put our hearts into (eliminating), the corruption. I am firing another chairman of an entity in government maybe this week, and another set of policemen,” he added.

Duterte has intensified his fight against corruption in government, dismissing several officials who have been linked to corruption.

On January 4, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced that Duterte ordered the dismissal of Maritime Industry Authority administrator Marcial Amaro III for making “excessive” foreign trips.

Last year, Duterte also fired several public officials, including former Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno, former National Irrigation Administrator chief Peter Laviña, and former Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima because of corruption issues.

Also dismissed were Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chair Terry Ridon and Development Academy of the Philippines president Elba Cruz for their unnecessary travels abroad.

Stressing his commitment to end irregularities under his watch, Duterte once again reminded those who are working in government to avoid graft and corruption.

“In the next few days, this is really purging regime. I think I have been spending a lot of time just to clean up government,” he said. “Please avoid graft and corruption, whether you are the giver or the receiver.”