Political strategist ni Duterte at NIA boss, sinabak o nag-resign?

DAVAO CITY – Sinibak nga ba o nag-resign sa puwesto? Ito ngayon ang katanungan ng maraming tagasunod ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte matapos na umalis sa kanyang puwesto si National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Peter Laviña.

Si Laviña ay isa sa mga political strategist at mapagkakatiwalaang tao ni Duterte at kabilang sa mga nasa likod ng matagumpay na kampanya ng Pangulo noong ito ay tumakbo sa 2016 elections.

Inamin mismo ni Laviña na umalis na ito sa kanyang posisyon sa NIA at sa Facebook account nito ay sinabi niya na ginamit lamang at inabuso ang kanyang pangalan. Napilitan lamang siyang mag-resign upang isalba si Duterte sa eskandalo.

Itinanggi ni Laviña ang lahat ng paratang sa kanya.

“Paalam! I have been vilified in the past; my name used, abused and maligned. Recently, there had been efforts to discredit me again. There are rumors circulating that I have asked money from NIA contractors. These are not true! To spare the President from these embarrassing stories, particularly in these times of intensified attacks on him, I have quietly left government. I have neither personal vested interest in it nor ill intent towards NIA and the whole government, which we are trying to reform.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve the government, especially to President Duterte, whose trust I have never betrayed. I have proven in the past that one need not be in government to do public service or work for the common good. I will likely continue to do so in media, civil society and the business sector where I have been involved before. May the Lord continue to light our paths. God bless us all. This is your water boy, signing off!,” pahayag pa ni Laviña.

Ayon naman sa ulat ng GMA Television, may alegasyon umabno kay Laviña na humihingi raw ito ng 40% komisyon mula sa mga kontraktor ng mga proyekto o kontrata ng NIA. Sinabi pa umano ni Federation of Free Workers president Sonny Matula sa naturang ulat na mismong si Duterte ang nagsiwalat sa kanila sa isang meeting kamakailan na sinibak nito si Laviña bilang patunay sa pakikipaglaban nito sa korapsyon.

“In our meeting last Monday, he said to the workers group that he takes seriously his campaign commitment. Top priorities in his list are corruption, crime/ drugs, and contractualization,” ani Matula.