Palace defers announcement of official to be sacked

FILE: Malacañang on Wednesday has decided to postpone the announcement of the name of a high-ranking government official who will be dismissed by President Rodrigo Duterte, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced. (PCOO PHOTO)

Malacañang on Wednesday has decided to postpone the announcement of the name of a high-ranking government official who will be dismissed by President Rodrigo Duterte, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced.

In an interview with News5 radio, Roque said he received a text message Wednesday morning, advising him to hold off the announcement which he initially said would be done on January 3.

“I was told to hold it at ako naman po bilang abogado (and as a lawyer), I do not mind holding the information until there is something in writing,” Roque said.

“Actually, I pray for… siguro magkaroon muna ng kasulatan na paratingin muna sa tao bago i-anunsyo (I hope there will be something in writing to inform the person before the announcement),” he added.

The Palace official did not clarify whether the directive came from the President himself. He also did not disclose the official and the reason for the fall from the President’s graces.

Roque earlier refused to give a hint about the official, however, he confirmed that the person to be fired by Duterte is a high-level official.

“The fight of the President is not just against drugs but also against the corrupt in government,” the spokesman said, adding that Duterte wants the “big fish” to serve as an example.

The President vowed not to tolerate even a “whiff of corruption” in his administration and has promised to sack officials whose names are dragged in wrongdoing.

Among prominent officials who were previously removed by Duterte were former interior secretary Ismael Sueno, Dangerous Drugs Board chief Dionisio Santiago, and Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) head Terry Ridon. PCUP Commissioner Melissa Avanceña Aradanas, cousin of Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avanceña, was also not saved from her post.

The Chief Executive also asked Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) president Elba Cruz to vacate her position after she was accused of traveling abroad frequently, lacking the “knowledge, temperament, and behavior” toward employees, and violating Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules, and mismanagement.

Recently, new set of complaints had been brought up against some officials in the government, including Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) administrator Marcial Amaro III over his alleged unnecessary foreign trips and those from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) over its lavish Christmas party.