MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has urged government officials anew to give Filipinos a respite from corruption warning them of more dismissals coming and no second chances.
“There will be more dismissals to come,” Duterte said in his speech during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Tuesday night.
He said that he did not care if his whole term “would be characterized by the firing and dismissal of people from government.”
Duterte said that although it “pained” him to fire government officials, especially those who supported his 2016 presidential campaign, he would not give them any second chances.
“It pains me deeply to do it pero sinabi ko na, sinabi ko sa inyo, ‘Huwag. Huwag na huwag’ (but I told you, don’t, don’t, don’t engage in corruption),” Duterte said.
“It begins and ends with you. Pero ‘pag nagkamali ka (If you make a mistake), I won’t give you a second chance. I do not own this government,” he added.
Duterte has repeatedly said that he would not think twice about firing government officials involved in even “a whiff of corruption.”
Despite saying he would not give second chances to any sacked officials, Duterte has reappointed a number of those he fired or those who have resigned amid suspicions of irregularities.
Malacañang earlier brushed aside criticisms over “recycling” of Duterte appointees saying that there were only three who were reappointed to other positions.
These officials include Agriculture Undersecretary Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña who previously served as Social Security System (SSS) commissioner, but his term was not renewed by the Palace on alleged corruption issues.
Former Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief Nicanor Faeldon was reappointed as Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy administrator III despite his alleged involvement in a PHP 6.4-billion shabu smuggling case.
Duterte also reappointed former Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) commissioner Melissa Avanceña Aradanas as Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) deputy secretary-general. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
