‘Headless’ agencies capable of providing service – Palace

Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar assured the public on Sunday, August 21, 2016, that the government would continue to function and provide basic services despite the order of President Duterte for all presidential appointees to vacate their positions. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Malacañang assured the nation on Sunday that the delivery of basic public services would not be adversely affected by the move of President Duterte to sack all appointed public officials.

“I think our bureaucracy is strong enough. It will function even without the heads of offices because we have deputies and career officers,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar told state-run DZRB radio.

“I don’t see any problem (arising from the President’s directive). Our government can still operate (without them),” he said.

READ: Duterte kicks out all presidential appointees in government

He said he would ask Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo regarding the implementation of the President’s order.

While Duterte stressed that “all” presidential appointees were included in his order, Andanar said only those appointed during the previous administrations would be affected by the major shakeup in the government.

In a news briefing in Davao City early Sunday, Duterte expressed disgust over information he had been getting that corruption persists in some state agencies despite his repeated warning against unscrupulous government officials.

READ: Duterte threatens to name scalawags in gov’t

He claimed that unbridled irregularities were still happening in “regulatory agencies,” such as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

“Consider your positions vacant as of this hour,” the President said in his two-hour press conference which ended at past 3 a.m.

“Until now, in my provincial visits, I still hear corruption being committed,” he added.

Duterte, a longtime mayor of Davao, won the May 9 balloting on the single platform of ending the illegal drug trade and criminality within the first six months of his presidency./rga