Duterte orders Año: Suspend mayors, governors refusing to clear public roads

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to suspend mayors or governors who would not heed the order to reclaim all public roads that have been used for private purposes.

“Reclaim all public roads that are being used for private ends. Marami diyan. And again, I ask Secretary Año to see to it that it is enforced,” Duterte said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the Batasang Pambansa.

“If there is a mayor or a governor or kung ano kang, sino kang demonyo ka, i-suspend mo, Sir Año. Give him time and if he cannot, if he is not up to it, then papahingahin mo na lang. Suspend mo na. Wala tayong magawa. They just keep on pleasing their own constituents because there is a constituent, a leader. Ganoon kayo, eh,” he added.

He asked the government to address traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

He said that the economic losses of the government due to traffic in Metro Manila was at P3.5 billion a day.

“So meantime, I reiterate my directive, my request, my pleadings, to the MMDA and all concerned local officials in Metro Manila and other cities to undertake immediate action to ensure the speedy and smooth flow of vehicular traffic,” he said.