'Correct,' Duterte says of supposed militarization of government

MANILA, Philippines — Claims that the government is being militarized under his watch are 'correct,' President Rodrigo Duterte said, as he claimed that it was his way of preventing the corrupt from rendering him inutile against their illegal acts. 

Duterte has drawn flak for filling his administration with former military officials and for appointing retired soldiers to posts that are not related to national security. Opposition lawmakers have claimed the appointment of retired soldiers to key posts makes the bureaucracy vulnerable to incompetence because the appointees are not suited for the tasks assigned to them. 

But Duterte, who recently ordered the Armed Forces to take over what he described as a "corrupt" Customs bureau, claimed his appointment of "honest" men from the military would help him stamp out corruption. 

"I will not sit as president and let you render me inutile as you continue with your corruption there in Customs right in front of me. P***** i** niyo (sons of b******). Now you have a problem. They say it's militarization of the government, correct," the president said during the distribution of land certificates in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday. 

Late last month, Duterte said the military had missed a chance to implement reforms in the country after popular ousters in 1986 and 2001. Gen. Carlitos Galvez Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, said he saw the president's statement as an expression of trust in the military.

The president has also said that he would prefer a military junta to replace him over Vice President Leni Robredo, the constitutional successor.

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Duterte: 'Almost everyone' in Cabinet from military

Duterte admitted only a few people with no military background have remained in his administration. He justified anew his preference for military men, saying they obey orders promptly unlike some civilians in the bureaucracy who question their superiors. 

"They will really do it. You know, that’s why I like military men. There are very few of us remaining who are (not from the military) Almost everyone are from the military except for me, Dabs (Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers and Muslim Concerns Secretary Abdullah Mama-o) and (Executive Secretary Salvador) Medialdea," the president said. 

Duterte said soldiers are used to working under harsh conditions and can performing their tasks despite the risks they face. 

"The salaries of the military and the police have been doubled. But I’ll ask you now, what’s the job of the military? Fight the enemies of the state and die. That’s their job," Duterte said. 

"Now if there’s a flood...who would you call? When the digging starts—you can see it on TV— who dug through the landslides in Cebu? Who? The military. They are utility boys. They are the first to die. They are the ones whom you call to pave the road if no one else is there to pave it. If there’s a civilian who would help with the digging, it would only be up until a certain point," he added.

"You instruct the military to take turns sleeping and continue digging. That’s their job. So that’s why most of the people I face are generals."

Duterte also noted that former military officials—Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu led the rehabilitation of world famous tourist spot Boracay.

"Do you think Boracay would have been cleaned up if it weren’t for Año and Cimatu?" the president said.

The president also praised Housing chief and retired military general Eduardo del Rosario, who oversees efforts to rebuild areas affected by the Marawi siege. 

"Would the project in Marawi have been done so quickly if I hadn’t assigned Del Rosario? He's a military man who was also assigned in Davao. Would there still be money? I’ve been in government for a long time so I know how funds can be manipulated," Duterte said.

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"The temptation to earn more money is really there. But if you tell the military,'Do that without corruption. Finish it in 60 days', then it’s done."

Duterte has ordered a revamp in the Customs' leadership as the bureau is mired in a controversy over the entry of at least P6.8 billion worth of shabu in the country. 

He appointed former Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña as chief of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority but officials insisted the reassignment was not related to the controversy. The president also relieved all heads of Customs units and directed the military to take over their functions.

A former military chief, Rey Leonardo "Jagger" Guerrero, succeeded Lapeña as Customs commissioner.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo previously said the military takeover in Customs would remain "until it is necessary"  and "until the President is satisfied that everything is in order at that bureau."

The actual paperwork for the "takeover" has yet to be released.

Duterte said his order to cleanse the Customs bureau of corrupt personnel has something to do with the legacy he would leave behind.  

"I will not end my political career by leaving people something to talk about particularly corruption. Bureau of Customs...do you want to apply? There are plenty of available positions in the Bureau of Customs now," he said.