Duterte steps up drive vs graft
Congress asked to justify exclusion of plunder, rape in death penalty bill
More presidential appointees will be fired in the coming days due to their alleged involvement in corrupt practices, President Duterte revealed Friday night.
“In the coming days, I’m going to fire additional people who I have appointed in government. Marami ’yan (There are a lot),” he said as he tried to figure out why Congress removed plunder from the list of crimes punishable with death penalty.
Duterte said he has yet to figure out how these government officials were able to involve themselves in corruption.
Duterte has been firm in his campaign against corruption since he took office.
Last December, he fired two fraternity brothers from their posts at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) due to alleged corruption.
Only last Thursday, he also admitted sacking his longtime friend and former campaign spokesman Peter Laviña as administrator of the National
Irrigation Administration (NIA) after getting involved in extortion.
“Sinabi ko sa inyo huminto kayo at least for six years habang andito ako sa opisina ko (I told you to stop your corrupt practices for at least six years while I am in office),” he said.
Meanwhile, President Duterte said he would like to know the rationale why Congress decided to exclude plunder from the bill which seeks to revive the capital punishment.
“Hindi consistent ‘yung pagtanggal sa plunder (Removing plunder is not consistent with my drive against corruption),” he said.
While he said he will not kill those who will be convicted with plunder, Duterte would still like to know the rationale behind its exclusion.
“I said I’d stop corruption but I didn’t say that I’m going to kill the plunderer. What was in my mind was corruption will stop,” he said.
Rape is a heinous crime Duterte said he would also like to seek clarification from the Congress why rape is also removed from the list of crimes punishable by death.
Rape is still one of the most heinous crimes that should merit the heaviest penalty, Duterte said even as he recognizes the independence of the legislature,.
“That’s a gross violation of the dignity of a woman. Ewan ko bakit (I don’t know why) they took it out. I just heard it kanina (earlier),” he said.
Wisdom of Congress According to Duterte, he will leave the bill to the wisdom of the Congress, saying they were elected by the people to represent them.
“We can’t be all in Congress at one time to shout. We elect representatives to represent us,” he said.
Duterte added that if the bill happens to pass the third reading scheduled on Tuesday, the measure, by theory, is the will of the people.
“If it passes Congress, by theory of government, it is the will of the people. Wala tayong magawa diyan (There’s nothing we can do about that),” he said.
It was learned on Monday that the House Majority bloc decided to exclude plunder, rape, and treason from the list of the crimes in the bill seeking the reinstatement of death penalty.
Bill sponsor, Justice Committee Chairman Rey Umali, said the majority agreed in a caucus to limit the crimes punishable by death to drug-related offenses only, with the exception of possession of illegal drugs.
According to Umali, limiting the bill to only one crime seemed to help them arrive at a compromise after some lawmakers remained hesitant about voting in favor of the bill.
The bill passed second reading in the Congress last Wednesday.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the anti-death penalty advocates in the House, said the bill was amended to entice more of their colleagues to vote for the measure.
Duterte has been asking for the restoration of the capital punishment since he took office. Death penalty in the Philippines was abolished in 2006 by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Last December, Duterte said five to six people will die every day if Congress approves the restoration of death penalty.