As part of his anti-corruption purge, President Duterte said he intends to leave “so many of letters of dismissal” before he departs for a four-day visit to China Wednesday.
The President has lamented that corruption has become endemic in the bureaucracy, saying that issuing a warning to erring public servants was not enough.
“I’m going to work for the next three years. But if you ask me if I’m happy with the job, I am not because of so many corruption and I have to fire. I’m leaving for China, and before that I will leave so many letters of dismissal,” Duterte said during an assembly of health professionals in Pasay City Tuesday.
“Corruption is really – seeps down on the core. You have to have something more than just a warning,” he said, admitting that he was probably the only President who beats up an erring public servant.
Duterte, however, did not identify yet the concerned government officials facing dismissal from office during his speech.
The President is scheduled to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing this week. He is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Thursday ahead of the opening of the Belt and Road summit. (Genalyn Kabiling)