By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte has fired an undersecretary of the Department of Budget and Management due to corruption allegations, and this, according to Malacañang, only proves that he is serious in his campaign against corruption.
“The President’s action highlights that no government official is sacred under this administration,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella Abella said at the Mindanao Hour-Bangon Marawi press briefing yesterday, referring to the firing of DBM Undersecretary Gertrudo de Leon.
“Let this be a reminder to all public officers that we are all here – not for ourselves – but for the greater good of the nation,” Abella added.
Duterte, during the closing ceremony of the 43rd Philippine Business Conference and Exposition of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the historic landmark Manila Hotel Thursday, said that he has fired a DBM undersecretary – De Leon – but did not identify him.
“Didn’t they tell you I do not like corruption? I just fired the undersecretary of DBM, Office of the Budget,” Duterte said im a speech.
“He was lucky because there were so many people. I wanted to slap him. I even stood up to – I wanted to kick him on the face. I fired him for corruption,” he said.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno has confirmed in a text message that Duterte has fired De Leon, the undersecretary for legal and liaison group of the DBM.
Duterte first hinted that De Leon was fired Wednesday. “I fired a high government official today. I will not mention his name because I do not want to shame the family. Kasi ang mga anak niyan baka mga doctor na gaya ng iba,” Duterte said.
De Leon once worked for the De Borja Medialdea Ata Bello Guevarra & Serapio Law Firm, the firm of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
De Leon was one of the 43 presidential appointees who took their oath before Duterte in Malacañang in September 2016.
