Duterte says his kin are unauthorized to have gov’t-related transactions

President Rodrigo Duterte INQUIRER.net file photo

President Rodrigo Duterte has reminded Cabinet officials not to accept any government-related transactions and favors from his relatives, a Palace official said Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte had reiterated his prior instruction to the Cabinet to ignore any pleas to be made by any of the First Family in connection with any government transaction.

“The President is renewing his call that any and all of his relatives are not authorized, okay, to approach anyone in government in connection with any government-related transaction full stop,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“That applies to his children, his siblings, his cousins, his uncles and aunts. No one in his family is authorized by him to have any financial interest in any government office, agency, or department,” he added.

Roque, however, clarified that there was no incident that prompted the reminder.

“Wala naman po (There isn’t any). Although actually again in the spirit of transparency, this was also relayed to me on the [30th of December] to be announced on our next press briefing ‘no,” he said when asked if the reminder has anything to do with the supposed ranking official set to be sacked by Duterte.

The spokesperson, on the other hand, noted that there “should be no problems” if Mighty Corporation lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, “performs his duties pursuant to the rules of legal ethics.”

“It’s very clear in the rules of legal ethics that one should not take advantage of any position that discharge functions of lawyers,” Roque said.

“The President trusts that Atty. Carpio is familiar with this kind of legal ethics,” he added. /je