Duterte opens text hotline vs corruption
DAVAO CITY – To get rid of corruption in government, President Duterte will open an anti-corruption text hotline and the complaints will be aired every morning over government-run PTV 4.
“I am opening a new daily program over PTV 4 that will be aired every morning and it will do nothing but run the complaints texted to the hotline that will be sent directly to Malacañang,” the President said during the National Banana Congress held at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Lanang Premiere here on Friday afternoon.
“Just let me know if there is corruption in a city hall, in the (application of) business permit… During my time (as mayor of Davao City), these are processed in three days.”
Duterte said he needs the help of every Filipino in the fight against corruption.
“I am pleading to the people. I promised you no corruption. But if I do not get your help, if you surrender, then there is nothing I can do. All you have to do is text what office, whether local or national, who is the official causing the delay, and I will call him or her
to go to Malacañang for them to explain why,” he said.
“If you do not help me, I cannot erase corruption. I cannot just go to any office and start asking anybody…You have to tell me.
“If you do not help me ferret out the bad guys, don’t complain,” he added.
The President also warned pranksters, saying they would be dealt with accordingly.
“I don’t like anybody fooling me. I don’t like you to fool me because I used to fool around,” he said in jest, recalling how his mother used to punish him by having him kneel on munggo seeds as he faced the altar.
Duterte said that all he wants is to have a good name.
“There is no issue against me with regard to graft and corruption. Women, yes, but money, no,” he said.
He asked where he would bring the money when he does not have anything to spend it on. He noted that he could not even get out of Malacañang or go anywhere without the President Security Group following him.
Duterte remains baffled why corruption is prevalent in government transactions despite his stern warning to government officials and employees that they will face his wrath if they will not stop their wrongdoings.
“I cannot understand really and so I’d like to know where the corruption is still prevalent,” he said.
He lamented anew that the country would not progress if corruption and criminality are not properly addressed.
“What could bring us down is really corruption and criminality,” he said.
The President announced his anticorruption campaign after he received international condemnation for his bloody war against drugs, which was marked by alleged summary killings and human rights abuses.