Duterte orders Roque to defer naming gov’t official to be terminated

Few days after disclosing another termination, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to defer mentioning the name of ranking official who faces dismissal from the government.

Roque on Wednesday, during the Malacañang press briefing, said that he was ordered by the president to ‘hold in abeyance’ the announcement of the government official who will be sacked next.

“Also, as of 7:00 this morning, I read a text instructing me to hold in abeyance announcement of who it is that the President will sack next,” Roque said.

WATCH: Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque holds press briefing

“Of course, this is not the first time it has happened. When he announced that he will fire an entire commission, he did not mention which commission first and it took couple of days before I was authorized to make the announcement,” he added.

According to Roque, the president didn’t even mention the reason for the delay of announcement but Duterte is currently studying the legislative charter of the agency which the official leads.

Roque, however, clarified that the said official will still hold the position while the announcement is being postponed.

“Hanggang hindi po naaanunsyo, hindi pa siya nasisibak. I will concede this much na I know that there was a legal written document already being prepared. But I guess even that is held in abeyance,” he explained.

For clarification, Roque denied that the said official is from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

“I can make the confirmation that the official who I was tasked to announce and may belatedly told to hold in abeyance is not from the PCSO. Ayan malinaw na,” he said. (Tretch Melarpes – PTV)