Duterte set to fire 5 more gov’t execs

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he will fire five government officials and will add more to the list once he returns to Malacañang this week.

"I'm inclined to fire somebody... I'd just want to talk to him before I do that. Itong isang undersecretary... Well, of course, I'll just... isabay ko na sila lahat, and they are about five in the list," Duterte said in a speech before local executives in Cebu City at the Waterfront Hotel.

Duterte said he would "like to add more" government officials to the list.

He did not mention names. Duterte said in his speech that people in government have a tendency towards corruption.

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

In other speeches he made in Cebu, Duterte remarked, "... maybe I'll fire the corporate counsel."

The government's corporate counsel is Rudolf Philip Jurado, who was appointed by Duterte in April 2017. He also said that he had talked to a "law school brod" on Friday and asked him to resign.

Duterte also said in his speech at the opening of the Oil and Gas Production of the Alegria Oilfield Plyard-3 Well Site in Cebu that he had asked an assistant secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to resign.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had announced last week the Duterte ordered the resignation of Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon Sr. of the Department of Justice and Assistant Secretary Tingagun Ampaso Umpa of the DPWH.

Duterte said before local government officials in Cebu that one of the officials he will fire had attempted to seek help from a member of the First Family about a project.

"Now, this guy he ran afoul within the department and sought the help of I think my sister... Sabi ko, 'tanggalin mo.' Sabi ko, 'fire him out.' His violation? He violated my order na pagka ako ang minention or talking to my relatives, even on a conversation about a project only, t***, sisipain talaga kita," he said, without mentioning a name.

He assured the local government officials that in his long years of government service, he never intervened in a government project.

"Wala ka talagang makita sa akin," he said. He said he has P40 million, but insisted that it is "hereditary properties money."