Duterte ready to fire appointees involved in corruption ‘anytime’

President Rodrigo Duterte attends the 10th Listing Anniversary of the Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. at the PSE trading hall in Makati City. PHOTO/Nestor Corrales

I can fire you anytime.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued this warning on Tuesday to all  his appointees in government who would be tempted to engage in corruption.

“Lahat ng appointed ko, kaya kong paalisin (All my appointees I can dismiss them), anytime,” Duterte said in a speech before businessman and traders at the 10th Listing Anniversary of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. at the Philippine Stock Exchange in Makati City.

But for elected officials, he said, his job was limited to supervision.

A corrupt-free government was one of the campaign promises of Duterte along with solving the problems of illegal drugs and criminality in the country and this was the theme of his speech at the PSE.

The President has previously said he had “seen how corruption bled the government of funds, which were allocated for the use in uplifting the poor from the mire that they are in.”

He has fired two of his longtime allies and closest aides from the Cabinet.

Peter Laviña, who served his spokesman during the 2016 national elections, was sacked in February following corruption allegations at the National Irrigation Administration.

He also fired Ismael Sueno as Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in April over corruption allegations in connection with the irregular purchase of the Rosenbauer firetrucks from Austria.