Duterte says he’ll fire more corrupt officials

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte criticized anew certain corrupt officials who he said used public funds in their unauthorized travels.

In a press conference in Davao City on Saturday, Nov. 18, Mr. Duterte said he has “a lineup” of government officials who will be fired this week.

“All those guys who have been using money of the government, just easily going in and out of travel upon the invitation maski sinong (whatever) seminar-seminar and they are easy really just to, some of them without getting a permit and wasting the money of people,” he said.

Mr. Duterte said, to spare them from humiliation, he will not name those officials and the dismissal will be done privately.

He added: “I have to ask them to resign. If at all, kung gusto man (if they like), kokonti lang (just a few) and those important meeting. But like yung basta na lang na (suddenly) there’s a seminar about whatever — about farming, about corruption, about business, eh hindi natin pera yan eh (that’s not our money),” he added.

Mr. Duterte is known to have already fired not a few of his known associates because of alleged corruption.

“When I said na walang corruption, wala talagang corruption. I will undress you before the public. Hubaran talaga kita. Yan ang sakit ko. Pahiyain kita. (When I said there is no corruption, there is no corruption. I will undress you before the public. That’s my flaw. I will shame you.),” he said

“So, when I say to you to resign, go out silently para walang (so that it will be)… less bloody para sa atin (for both of us).” — Rosemarie A. Zamora