Corrupt government officials will likely be the next target of the “name-and-shame” campaign of President Duterte.
The President has announced that he would continue the “purge” in government to weed out corrupt officials, adding he might be forced to declare their names if they would not resign from their posts.
Duterte admitted he was hoping not to name the erring public servants but expressed dismay with the lingering corrupt practices in “regulatory bodies and agencies” especially in the provinces.
“Maybe I will just also declare them just like the hunted men sa droga para matapos na ang kalbaryo ng Pilipinas,” the President said during an oath taking ceremony of business groups in Malacañang last Tuesday.
“You have been in graft for so many years and for so many decades, you have to go,” he said.
Angered by persistent corrupt practices in some agencies, the President declared all appointive government positions vacant starting last Monday.
In a memorandum circular issued by the Palace on August 22, the presidential appointees have been asked to submit their courtesy resignations within seven days. Excluded from the revamp are Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, and other officials in the executive department appointed by Duterte.
If he asks for a government official’s resignation, the President said this means the Filipinos have lost confidence in him/her to handle the affairs of government.
He also advised the public “not to bleed hearts” for the corrupt officials “because they ought to be out and I would be the last person in this planet to do an unfair thing.”
“I’ll just conduct a purge. I told you we have to go into a purge. It might not include the technical people, for those who are really in the Civil Service roll of employees, they are not included but it could send the message that tanggalin itong lahat, even my appointees or those who are there at my behest during the previous administration,” he said. (GENALYN KABILING)