More corrupt heads will roll, Duterte warns

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – More heads will roll in the coming days as President Rodrigo Duterte repeated his vow to rid his administration of officials implicated in corruption.

Earlier, Peter Laviña, Duterte’s spokesperson in the 2016 election campaign, stepped down last week as administrator of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) amid accusations that he had asked money from irrigation contractors.

In interviews, Laviña denied the accusations but said he resigned to spare the Duterte administration from embarrassment.

On Friday afternoon, Duterte warned that me might fire or force to quit more officials, even his own appointees, who would be tainted with corruption.

Duterte made the statement to reporters shortly after his visit at the Army’s 4th Infantry Divsion at its headquarters in Camp Edilberto in Barangay Patag here in Cagayan de Oro City.

The president visited the camp to bestow the Medal of Gallantry to two soldiers who were killed and four others who were wounded in combat with communist rebels of the New People’s Army in the mountains of Misamis Oriental earlier in the week. The soldiers were from the 58th Infantry Battalion of the 4th ID.

“So in the coming days I’m going to fire additional people whom I have appointed in government,” he said.

He did not give the exact number or the names of those whom he would boot out. But he said there would be many of them.

He also renewed his warning to all public officials who might be suspected of breaking the law or abusing their power.

“This is my warning to those in the government: Whether you are a director or CESO or civil service eligible, I’m telling you to stop it, at least for six years, while I’m still sitting in office,” he said.

During his campaign, Duterte promised to rid the government of corruption and now that he is the country’s chief executive, he said he plans on fulfilling it.

“Corruption will stop and it will stop,” he said. “I am telling you: I will put a stop to it.” /atm