Duterte to fire all officials of urban poor commission

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his speech during the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 84th Anniversary Celebration at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos City on December 8, 2017, gives his assurance that he and his administration will strive hard to give a comfortable life for the Filipinos. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte will fire all the commissioners of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a news briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque initially announced that Duterte was set to “abolish” the commission headed by former Kabataan Partylist Representative Terry Ridon.

However, the Palace official immediately clarified that Duterte does not intend to abolish PCUP, but just fire its commissioners.

“With sincerest regrets I would like to correct the statement I made on the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) during this morning’s press briefing. It is to fire, and not to abolish the Commission,” Roque said in a statement.

“He will fire all [commissioners] of PCUP and not abolish,” he said.

According to Roque, the President stated two grounds behind his decision to abolish the commission.

“Number one, it is, according to him, a collegial body, and they have not met as a collegial body.

Number two, the commissioners are notorious for junkets abroad. This kind of work performance has no place in the Duterte administration,” he said.

The Presidential spokesman could not give further details regarding the “unnecessary junkets” of which PCUP commissioners were involved. The official memorandum on the officials’ removal from post has not yet been issued.

Aside from Ridon being the head, the PCUP’s commissioners are Melissa Aradanas, Manuel Serra Jr., Noe Indonto, and Joan Lagunda.

Asked if Ridon’s connection with the left was one reason why the President wants to fire him, Roque answered, “We reiterate we are serious about the drive against corruption in government and this latest decision of the President to abolish the PCUP – the PCUP among others for unnecessary junkets of its officials prove beyond doubt that the President is very serious in his anti-corruption campaign.”

Duterte, in a speech on Friday, revealed that he will fire an entire commission.

“Lahat sila (All of them),” Duterte said. “Wala akong pakialam kung nakisali dalawa, tatlo (I don’t care if everyone or just two or three are involved), you have to go out. Because I do not think it will exist without your knowledge at bakit hanggang… Wala akong patawad-tawad (And why is it still ongoing),” he added.

The President even added that one official has went out of the country six times since September. He warned government workers that he does not allow luxury funded by taxpayers’ money.

Sought for comment regarding the issue, Ridon expressed his gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve the nation.

“We had implemented with full integrity the presidential promise of no demolition without relocation,” Ridon said in a statement released after Roque’s announcement.

“We had represented government and given voice to the urban poor in international conferences on public housing, poverty alleviation and climate change, which was unprecedented in any administration,” Ridon added.

Established during Corazon Aquino’s administration in 1986, the PCUP is a commission under the Office of the President responsible for addressing issues on urban poverty such as demolitions, reclamation, and housing.

Ridon said that the PCUP implemented its mandate with full integrity, and that the body’s public record can speak for itself.

“We performed our mandate to the best of our abilities, with integrity and competence, despite the heavy burden of undertaking genuine reform,” he added.