Duterte to fire more officials

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte announced last Tuesday that he will fire more officials next week as he warned that the country would be doomed if corruption is not addressed. 

Duterte said he was waiting for a report of the officials, who he said were asked to explain why they should not be dismissed.

“(I promised to) lessen the corruption but I will fire more next week. I am just waiting for their report,” the President said during the turnover of grants to beneficiaries of the government’s cash transfer program in South Cotabato. 

“I told them ‘You give me your report and if I find it justifiable, you can stay. But if there is corruption, I’m sorry,’” he added. 

Duterte did not identify the officials in danger of losing their jobs. 

Last week, Duterte ordered officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to submit a report on the water service interruptions in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal by April 7.

He also warned MWSS executives to “shape up or ship out” but it was not clear whether he was referring to water regulators when he made the announcement.  

Duterte has fired several officials tagged in irregularities like ghost deliveries of supplies, unnecessary trips, costly project proposals and deals deemed disadvantageous to government. 

The President has said the firing spree was in line with his goal to cleanse the government of corrupt officials.

Critics, however, claimed that the anti-corruption campaign was questionable because the President has given new posts to some of the dismissed officials.

Duterte stressed that the country would not improve unless the corruption problem is fixed. 

“Whoever the president would be and even if you give that president five terms... if there is no peace and order and no resolve to stop corruption in government... there is no way for us to move up,” the President said.