DOTr asec axed

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino for his supposed "dealings with a presidential relative," Malacañang announced Monday, May 21.

"The President has terminated the services of Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino for having dealings with a presidential relative -- a sister," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told Palace reporters.

"And the reminder of the President is no one should entertain any relative of the President, in connection with any matter that has to do with government," he added.

Duterte's dismissal order against Tolentino came just three days after the latter claimed that the Mindanao railway project was being deliberately derailed, in an attempt by some Department of Transportation's (DOTr) higher officials to borrow funds from a foreign firm despite having a P36billion budget.

Roque said that while Tolentino has been embroiled in several controversies during his stint at the DOTr, the President's main concern was that the DOTr official communicated with an unnamed "presidential sister."

He, however, was not privy to the supposed dealings between Tolentino and Duterte's sister.

The Palace official merely emphasized that Tolentino's act was considered violative of the Chief Executive's order not to transact with any of his relatives.

"I do not know who is (the presidential sister Tolentino had a dealings with). Apparently, it is a presidential sister. So the

message is the President is serious (in his pronouncement): Do not even talk to them (presidential relatives) about any matter concerning government. You will get sacked if you do," he said.

"If you talk to any of the relatives of the President, that's a basis for your dismissal. May the dismissal of Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino serve as an example," he added.

Tolentino is just one of the five top government officials who are expected to be fired by Duterte this week over allegations of corruption.