Duterte threatens to axe 'incompetent' mayors

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has threatend to boot out mayors whose respective areas of jurisdiction are plagued by rampant sale of illegal dr ugs.

Speaking before the vice mayors in Bohol, the President lamented that some of the mayors appeared to be neglecting their duties to address the drug problem.

He said he would not hesitate to fire the incompetent mayors and file charges against them.

"Kaya kung mayor ka, you are the president of your municipality. [But] my God, how come ang tataas ng crime rate ninyo? (If you are a mayor, you are the president of your municipality. [But] my God, how come there's a high crime rate in your municipalities?)" the President said.

"Tanggalin kita and I will file a case against you (I will sack you and I will file a case against you) -- serious neglect of duty or simple neglect, gross ignorance of the law or oppression or simply doing nothing. If you're not doing anything, I will file charges against you," he added.

Duterte made the pronouncement two days after he instructed Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año to conduct an audit of areas with high crime rate and alarming presence of illegal drugs trade.

In his latest speech, the President told the mayors that they should fulfill their mandate to protect the Filipino people and preserve the country.

"Actually, what I want you to do, just enforce the law. You are there to enforce the law, you are mayor," he said. "You read your oath of office. The long and short of that, you can reduce it in two sentences not in so many words, it simply says protect the people and preserve the Republic of the Philippines as a nation."

Duterte said he would seek Año's recommendation for the dismissal of mayors who are incapable of helping his government eradicate illegal drugs.

The President also threatened to strip erring mayors of their police powers, and in turn, let the police have the jurisdiction over the municipalities that have high number of cases of criminality and illegal drugs.

"And sabi ko, 'yung mga mayor na hindi makapag-control ng crime, and every now and then may buy-bust dito, buy-bust doon, kung saan-saan na lang, at it numbers like 20 buybust operation[s] a day, tanggalin mo yung pulis niya," he said.

(I said, those mayors who cannot prevent crimes, and every now and then there's a buybust operation anywhere, and it numbers like 20 buy-bust operation[s] a day, strip him of his supervision and control over the police in their respective areas.)

"Ilagay ko yung pulis ko, ikaw na 'yung mayor. Insofar as law and order [is concerned], you are the mayor. Huwag mo nang pansinin iyang [matatanggal na] mayor na iyan," he added.

(I will appoint my police as the mayor. Insofar as law and order [is concerned], you are the mayor. Do not mind the mayors there [who will be sacked].) (SunStar Philippines)