Duterte is ‘not a quitter,’ says chief legal counsel

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. (SIMEON CELI/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte is not a quitter.

This was the firm assertion of his chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, amid public doubts on whether or not Mr. Duterte should be taken seriously for his remark that he was already considering stepping down from the presidency.

“Si Presidente, siya iyong tipong kapag mayroon siyang goal, kailangan ma-achieve niya iyon. Eh nakita niya na kahit anong ginagawa niya mukhang hindi maampat ang katiwalian sa pamahalaan,” Panelo said in an interview with Radyo Singko.

“So kumbaga parang ano siya, hindi lang disappointed, disgusted na siya eh. Buwisit na buwisit na siya. Pero it doesn’t mean that he will quit because he is not a quitter,” he stressed.

Duterte has declared in a recent event with businessmen and diplomats in Malacañang that he was thinking of resigning from office as his pursuit against graft and corruption appears to be endless.

The Chief Executive made the pronouncement after he fired an entire board of a government-controlled corporation as well as at least 20 military officials over allegations of corruption.

All board members of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation were sacked over what the Palace called as “grossly disadvantageous” property lease.

On the other hand, at least 20 military officials were relieved due to alleged ghost projects at V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City.

In the wake of these corruptiion controversies, Panelo said he “will not be surprised” if there would be “radical changes” in the Cabinet in the coming days.

“You know that under the Constitution, there is one command to him as President, and that is to serve and to protect the people,” Panelo said.

“I will not be surprised, using that provision, as he announced in the Cabinet, there will be radical changes in the coming days,” he also said.   /kga