A radical change overnight will be needed to put an end to corruption in government, President Duterte declared last Wednesday, amid his exasperation over dishonest dealings in the bureaucracy.
Speaking at the first anniversary rites of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission in Malacañang, the President lamented that “so many billions are lost everyday” due to corruption.
“The way the bureaucracy is set up, it is really conducive to or for corruption to thrive. Ganun ang Pilipinas,” Duterte said. “You would need a radical change overnight if you want corruption to stop,” he added.
Duterte admitted that he was exasperated with corruption in the bureaucracy that prompted him to offer his resignation twice in the past few months.
He also issued a stern warning to government workers not to get involved in graft and corruption. “Now, for being like (Adolf) Hitler, ah I have said kasi sinabi ko na sa inyo, ‘huwag.’ Sinabi ko na sa lahat sa gobyerno, ‘huwag.’ Kaya kung pumasok ka diyan, I’m sorry. It is your headache not mine,” he said.
Duterte recounted that he offered to step down when he learned about two alleged irregular government transactions – the Nayong Pilipino lease deal with a casino developer and the ghost delivery of medicines in the military hospital – in one day. The government officials allegedly involved in the alleged anomalous transactions have been fired by the President.
Duterte told a group of military and police officers that he was “very sad” to learn about the irregular transactions especially the deal involving the medicines intended for soldiers.
“In my exasperation I said you know I am really very tired. I think my mindset now cannot absorb so much for all of this. And so I said I would like to offer to you my resignation,” he said.
He told them to stand up if they want another President but no one did. “I let it pass and well I said I hope next time this will not happen,” he added. (Genalyn Kabiling)
