Exasperated and all, President Duterte said more heads will roll at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as part of his administration’s anti-corruption campaign.
Addressing the nation Monday night, the President said he has dismissed many officials and intends to sack more as soon as the investigation is completed.
“Marami na akong sinibak. And sa PhilHealth, there will be another round of dismissal. Kinukumpleto lang nila ‘yung investigation,” he said.
Duterte said he has already terminated 72 customs personnel and 62 from the immigration bureau. As a result, he noted that the immigration bureau only now has a “skeletal force.”
Over at the DPWH, the President has ordered the immediate relief of several district engineers allegedly involved in anomalous projects. He mentioned the names of the district engineers during his speech and directed them to report to Public Works Secretary Mark Villar on Tuesday.
He even bared the names of nine incumbent and former lawmakers allegedly implicated in anomalous public works projects despite the lack of “hard evidence.”
The persons named by the President are Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Sato, former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Alfred Vargas, Misamis Occidental 2nd District Rep. Henry Oaminal, Isabela 4th District Rep. Alyssa Tan, Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza, Quezon 4th District Rep. Angelina Tan, ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap, and Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman.
Sato, Baguilat, Roman and other lawmakers have issued statements Monday night, denying the allegations hurled against them.
In reading the list, Duterte also clarified that he did not want to pick a fight with the lawmakers but cited his anti-corruption drive in government.
“To the members of Congress, I do not want a quarrel with you. We are independent of each other and this is not really my work…so that you would know this is in obedience maybe to my call for people who know of corruption kasi talagang exasperated ako sa corruption ng gobyerno (because I’m really exasperated with corruption in government),” he said.
“I do not condemn you. I give you the presumption of innocence just like the congressman. It so happens that your name has cropped up during an investigation,” Duterte said.
An imminent reorganization of the DPWH district engineers will also implemented, according to the President.
Duterte asked Villar to submit the list of the district engineers so he can “recognize the assignments.”
He noted that some may be assigned to Basilan after improved explosive devices used by state enemies have destroyed some roads.
The President earlier directed the Department of Justice (DoJ) to conduct allegations of corruption in the entire government and prosecute those involved.
In fact, Duterte has directed the DoJ to expand its corruption probe on PhilHealth to cover other state agencies.
