President Duterte said yesterday that he is curious why Congress removed plunder and rape from the list of crimes punishable with death.
Duterte said he would like to know the rationale why Congress decided to exclude plunder from the bill which seeks to revive the capital punishment. “Hindi consistent ‘yung pagtanggal sa plunder,” he said.
According to Duterte, even though he said he will not kill those who will be convicted with plunder, he would still like to know the rationale behind its exclusion.
“I said I’d stop corruption but I didn’t say that I’m going to kill the plunderer. What was in my mind was corruption will stop,” he said.
Despite not being specific, the President also assured that more presidential appointees will be fired in the coming days due to their alleged involvement in corrupt practices. “In the coming days I’m going to fire additional people who I have appointed in government. Marami ‘yan,” he said.
Duterte said he has yet to figure out how these government officials were able to involve themselves in corruption.
The Chief Executive has been firm in his campaign against corruption.
Last December 2016, he fired two fraternity brothers from their posts at the Bureau of Immigration due to alleged corruption.
On Thursday, he admitted sacking his longtime friend and former campaign spokesman Peter Laviña as administrator of the National Irrigation Administration after his alleged involvement in corruption.
“Sinabi ko sa inyo huminto kayo at least for six years habang andito ako sa opisina ko,” he said. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
