Duterte’s next target: Local government officials

President Rodrigo Duterte INQUIRER.net file photo

After his firing spree of Cabinet officials, President Rodrigo Duterte would expand his “cleansing of the bureaucracy” to local government officials, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday.

According to Roque, Mr. Duterte made this pronouncement during the 21st Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Monday.

“The President stated that he will continue with the process of cleansing the bureaucracy and that he will now turn more of his attention to local government units, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” the Palace official said.

Duterte’s decision to expand his anti-corruption drive came after he had fired several presidential appointees due to lavish trips abroad.

Duterte had earlier fired Marcial Amaro III, administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), for his excessive foreign trips; and Terry Ridon, chair of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor over his “unnecessary trips” abroad.

The President signed on October 2017 Executive Order (EO) No. 43, creating the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.

Roque said this showed Duterte’s “firm resolve against corruption.”

“It’s been established but it hasn’t been constituted. But the President has not waited for its constitution before he has started actually the purging of corrupt officials in government,” he said.

“He has shown that with or without it, he has a firm resolve against corruption and he will implement it,” he added.                  /kga