Salalima was asked to quit for favoring Globe Telecom, says Duterte

Atty. Rodolfo Salalima INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

President Duterte has revealed that he had asked former Department of Information and Communications Technology secretary Rodolfo Salalima to resign from his post for favoring Globe Telecom.

Salalima previously served as a Senior Vice President for Corporate and Regulatory Affairs of Globe Telecom until 2008.

“Yung sa kanya, maraming nagreklamo sa akin na parang partial siya kasi vice president siya ng Globe eh pero alam ko yun. Hindi ko naman sinasabi na may prinu-protektahan siya pero yung ibang mga giant na telecommunications ng China, ng Singapore, wala siyang aksyon,” Duterte said in an interview with PTV4 aired on Thursday night.

Duterte had earlier said he was open for foreign telecommunication companies to break the telco duopoly in the country.

“Gusto ko kasing buksan ang… itong telecom para maraming maging mura, mas marami maging mura,” the President said.

Asked if he had asked Salalima to resign, he answered, “Yes.”

“Yes, oo. Kasi ito in fairness to him, hindi ko naman sinasabi, it seems to him he was favoring a company, tapos hindi nga makapasok, ang gusto ko nga maging mura,” he said.

Speaking with employees of DICT last Friday, Salalima said he resigned as the agency’s top official because of corruption and interference in the department.

“Actually he lied,” Duterte said.

The President said Salalima never mentioned him about corruption in DICT.

“For all the time wala naman siyang sinasabi na may korapsyon. Wala, wala talaga after a meeting, uwi na kami ganun. Everybody, lahat ng Cabinet matanong mo,” he said.

“Maraming complaint, kaya binulungan ko, sabihin mo na lang kay Rudy, mag-resign siya,” he added.

Salalima is a former schoolmate of Duterte. Salalima is a magna cum laude graduate in Philosophy and Bachelor of Laws cum laude graduate from San Beda College in Manila.