Duterte tells public: You owe nothing to politicians

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday reminded the public that they keep the government running through their taxes.

“Wala kayong utang na loob sa mga politiko, lahat ‘yan pati sweldo nila pera ninyo (You don’t owe politicians anything. You even pay for their salaries),” Duterte said in his speech at the campaign rally of PDP-Laban in Malabon City.

“Kaya huwag kayong magsabi na ito si Mayor ano galante. Anak nang jueteng! Hindi ninyo alam kung saan ‘yan bumabawi (So don’t everysay this Mayor is generous. You don’t know where he gets that),” he added.

The President made the remark as he again decried red tape and corruption in government, saying that the Philippines now is “corrupt to the core.”

Duterte noted that he can control those directly under his office, specifically agencies and departments under the executive branch of the government. But he does not have control over elected officials, who he said tend to be corrupt.

“Itong Cabinet member, Executive Department, Congress, Supreme Court, saka iyong opisina ko kaya ko yan. Pero ‘yung sa baba, itong elected officials wala akong control, supervision lang ako na they do things the right way. Dito nagkakaroon ng corruption,” he said.

(I can handle the Cabinet member, Executive Department, Congress Supreme Court, and my office. But I have no control over the elected officials. My only role is supervision that they things the right way. This is where corruption happens.)

The President has fired several ranking government officials over allegations of graft and corruption while in office.

Duterte won the presidency with a tough stance on drugs, corruption, and criminality — his main campaign platforms. He had repeatedly threatened to fire officials even on a “whiff” of corruption. /ee

RELATED STORY:
Duterte walks out of Cabinet meeting over red tape, corruption