Only appointees of former President Aquino are covered by the massive revamp authorized by President Duterte to stamp out corruption, a Palace official said yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government positions declared vacant as of yesterday do not apply to “current appointees” except for the two transport regulatory agencies earlier mentioned by the President.
“These are appointees from the past administration and does not refer to appointees of the current administration except those who have been made reference to,” Abella said in a Palace press briefing.
Last weekend, the President ordered the vacancy of all appointive government positions after learning about persistent reports of corruption.
He said the number of affected government posts will reach 1,000. Duterte has summoned the incumbent officials of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Offices for alleged lingering corruption practices.
Early in the day, Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Martin Andanar said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea is expected to issue a memorandum circular about the vacancy of the appointive positions.
Affected in the revamp are 6,000 appointees of the President and the former President, said Andanar in an interview with State-owned People’s Television Channel 4.
“Those who have not yet submitted their courtesy resignations since the start of the new administration, they should now resign from their positions,” he said.
He said the appointive government posts include the government-owned and -controlled corporations. Those holding positions with terms in constitutional bodies, however, have “immunity” from the President’s planned revamp.
