President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo from an RTVM video)
Update
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he had fired an undersecretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) due to corruption.
“I wanted to fire him. I wanted to kick him. I fired him for corruption,” he said in a speech during a Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry event in Manila.
He, however, did not name the official he fired.
But in a text message to INQUIRER.net, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Undersecretary Gertrudo de Leon was the official fired by Duterte.
De Leon is an undersecretary for legal and liaison group of the DBM.
The President on Wednesday night revealed he had fired a high-ranking government official, though he did not give the official’s name and designation.
“I fired a high government official today. I will not mention his name because I do not want to shame the family,” Duterte said in a speech during the seventh anniversary celebration of the public service show, “Buhay OFW,” at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay.
Duterte also said he also fired three employees from his office.
“There were 3 employees in my office, influence-peddling. This one was tinkering with the money; I told you, stop [it],” he said.