Labor usec would have been fired for corruption–Palace

Had Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say not resigned his post, President Duterte would have fired him for corruption, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

“You know to be candid, if Usec Say did not resign, he would have been fired,” Roque said on Thursday.

But Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III defended Say, saying that the undersecretary was not capable of engaging in corruption activities.

“I don’t think he is capable of doing that,” Bello said, adding that he was saddened by the resignation of this “very competent labor lawyer.”

Say resigned as Labor undersecretary earlier in the week over allegations that he was promanagement on the issue of contractualization.

Say said the basis for the corruption allegation was an unnotarized affidavit “that contains statements that any lawyer would label as pure hearsay and double hearsay.” — LEILA B. SALAVERRIA AND TINA G. SANTOS