Duterte fires 3 leftist social welfare usecs

President Rodrigo Duterte sacked three undersecretaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over the weekend, Malacañang confirmed on Monday.

The President terminated the appointments of Maria Lourdes Turalde-Jarabe, undersecretary for promotive operations and programs group; Mae Ancheta-Templa, undersecretary for protective operations and programs group; and Hope Hervilla, undersecretary for disaster response management group.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said new Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista could bring his own appointees into the department.

“We expect the new secretary to bring his own team to provide better services to the public,” Medialdea said in a text message to reporters.

‘Not really’ a factor

Asked if the three officials’ connections to leftist groups were a factor in their sacking, Medialdea said, “Not really.”

Prior to their appointments in 2016, Jarabe was a former secretary general of Gabriela while Hervilla was a former regional chair of Bayan Muna. Templa was involved in social development work through people’s organizations.

Jarabe, Hervilla and Templa were nominees of Gabriela, Bayan Muna and Act Teachers party-list groups, respectively, in recent elections.

Earlier, the DSWD said Templa and Jarabe vacated their posts on orders of Malacañang. Hervilla also submitted her resignation to the President.

In a speech to the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea last week, the President said he would fire another government official for corruption on his return to the Philippines.

“[W]hen I go back, there will be another one. I will really fire you. Sorry.” —With a report from Vince F. Nonato