President Rodrigo Duterte has confronted around 40 immigration personnel involved in the controversial pastillas scheme on Monday amid the intensified fight against corruption in government.
“He distributed pastillas to the BI personnel. Money had been rolled inside each pastillas, according to the president. He wanted them to eat the pastillas, but did not insist ‘out of deference to the secretary of justice who was also present’,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra disclosed.
“He said, either you eat it or give it to the first beggar you see. In the end, he stated that the cases had been filed and that they simply had to face them. No one among the BI personnel dared to utter a word,” Guevarra added.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday described the mood of President Duterte during the meeting as calm, and the move to hand pastillas to the suspended officials is “symbolic of his anger against corruption.”
“He did not casually give out money. He was casually sending a message that he will not tolerate corruption,” Sec. Roque explained.
Meanwhile, President Duterte will have a meeting regarding COVID-19 measures with some members of the IATF-EID today which will be followed by his regular public address. The task force is set to meet again on Thursday. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
