Duterte: There’s no corruption in my Cabinet

More than a week after he ordered the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate members of his Cabinet for any whiff of corruption, President Rodrigo Duterte cleared them, saying he has “direct control” over and “can handle” his Cabinet.

“There’s no problem, you have no problem up here. There’s no corruption,” the President said.

“Ask anyone. I am strict when it comes to corruption. But the Cabinet members, the executive department, Congress, Supreme Court, I can handle them,” the President said at a campaign rally of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan in Malabon City on Tuesday night.

‘Recycled’ officials

On March 25, at a campaign rally in Cagayan de Oro, the President ordered the Ombudsman to file complaints against corrupt members of his Cabinet.

“It’s true, [that] there’s corruption, and I myself told the Ombudsman, investigate and file charges against my Cabinet members,” the President said.

The President has fired several appointees due to allegations of corruption, although he has been criticized for “recycling” people he had sacked by reappointing them to other government posts.

On Tuesday night, the President said corruption was worse among elected officials in local governments.

“Down here, I have no control but only supervision over elected officials. The corruption that happens here is much worse,” the President said.

He also slammed local officials who he said may appear generous but were actually using the people’s own money.

The people should not feel indebted to politicians, he said.

“Everything, even their salaries, are your money. So don’t say this mayor is generous,” he said. —Julie M. Aurelio