Duterte’s decision to fire Marina chief Amaro ‘just, fair,’ says DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to fire Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) chief Marcial “Al” Amaro III was “fair” and “just.”

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced in a televised press briefing that Amaro was sacked after a DOTr report showed the Marina chief’s allegedly excessive foreign trips.

The DOTr report showed that the Marina official made a total of 24 foreign trips in the last two years, Roque said.

“The DOTr respects the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to terminate the services of Marcial Quirico Amaro III as MARINA administrator,” the department said in a statement.

“The DOTr trusts that the President’s decision is just, fair, and unprejudiced as it was based on verifiable facts and a thorough investigation,” it said.

The department stressed that it does not tolerate “corruption and excesses” in government service.

“Rest assured that the DOTr and its attached agencies and offices will be very discerning and judicious in this matter,” the statement read. /je