You’re fired if Duterte whispers to you

President Rodrigo Duterte and Peter Tiu Laviña. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/NQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MALAYBALAY CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte said he had advised government officials dismissed over corruption issues to go out quietly so they wouldn’t be embarrassed.

“I whispered to them, some of them have children practicing at Cardinal Santos, St. Luke’s, PGH, I told them, go silently. I don’t want you to be embarrassed,” he said here on Saturday.

Mr. Duterte said in all, he had dismissed 92 people, including his own appointees – mostly from the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“I have already dismissed (many government officials) quietly, 92 persons,” he said.

Recently, Mr. Duterte sacked his campaign spokesperson — Peter Laviña — amid allegations he was milking government irrigation project contractors.

Laviña, who was National Irrigation Administration chief, denied the allegations.

Mr. Duterte said under his presidency, there should be no corruption.

“As long as I’m President, corruption has to stop,” Mr. Duterte added.

He said officials, who might have engaged in corruption in the past, should now stop their irregular practice.

“Well, it has to stop,” Mr. Duterte added. —JIGGER JERUSALEM