TACLOBAN CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte’s partner, Cieleto “Honeylet” Avanceña, has asked the public to understand the Chief Executive in the light of the controversial resignation of high-ranking officials he personally appointed into office.
Avanceña, who was here Tuesday to inaugurate the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, admitted that it hurts her to see some of the President’s appointees resign or told to quit for their alleged involvement in corruption.
Some of those who resigned helped a lot in Duterte’s bid for the presidency.
“Please do not take it against him. A lot of people are bashing the President because he has been firing the people he himself had put into office. He is just true to his promise to stop illegal drugs and eliminate corruption in the government,” she said.
Avanceña, a businesswoman in Davao City, added that eliminating corruption is a priority since this will encourage more investors to open businesses because of streamlined process and transactions free from red tape.
Among the axed Cabinet officials or who have quit from their posts over controversies were Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Information and Communications Secretary Rodolfo Salalima, and Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno.
Other officials fired by the President for various offenses were National Irrigation Administration chief Peter Laviña; Social Security System commissioner Jose Gabriel Laviña; Maritime Industry Authority Administrator Marcial Quirico Amaro; Commission on Higher Education chief Patricia Licuanan; Presidential Commission for Urban Poor chairman Terry Ridon and commissioners Melissa Aradanas, Manuel Serra Jr., Noe Indonto and Joan Lagunda; Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say; and Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino.
On Tuesday, Duterte called for the resignation of Public Works Assistant Secretary Tingagum Umpa and Justice Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon Sr. (PNA)
