Dureza’s resignation shows ‘value of delicadeza’: Palace

FILE: Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador S. Panelo holds a press briefing for the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) at the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang. (Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday commended former Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza for resigning and apologizing for allegations of corruption committed by two of his subordinates, who have been sacked by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“We commend the former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process for taking full responsibility and issuing an apology under the principle of command responsibility for the transgressions committed by his two subordinates,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press statement.

“His resignation has set a concrete example and put a true meaning to the value of delicadeza and morality in governance. This is leadership by example,” he added.

Panelo thanked Dureza for his services, particularly in his efforts to advance government efforts to resolve challenges to peace.

“We take this occasion to thank Sec. Dureza for the services he rendered to the nation, particularly under the Duterte administration, where he assisted the President in walking the extra mile in advancing peace for the good of our nation and all Filipinos,” Panelo said.

Panelo made this remark after the President announced on Tuesday night that he has accepted, with deep regrets, Dureza’s resignation.

In the speech, Duterte said he has fired Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Undersecretary and PAMANA National Program Manager Ronald Flores and OPAPP Assistant Secretary for Support Services and PAMANA Concerns Yeshter Donn Baccay due to corruption.

Meanwhile, Panelo also described the firing of Flores and Baccay as a “warning to all government officials that no person is exempted from the administration’s high and exacting standards of honesty in public service.”

“Their termination also underscores that the President remains resolute in stamping out corruption in the bureaucracy, which includes offices which are specialized in particular fields of governance,” Panelo said.

“Like the war on drugs, the war on corruption must be fought unremittingly,” he added.

On Tuesday, Dureza said he was stepping down from his post to allow a “needed reorganization” within the OPAPP.

“I am voluntarily tendering my resignation to pave the way for the needed reorganization that Your Excellency may wish to undertake at OPAPP,” Dureza said in a press statement.

He said he is saddened by how, despite his efforts to comply with Duterte’s advocacy against corruption, he failed to do so since he concentrated his attention to the “challenges of peace.”

“I truly am sad that OPAPP, as an institution which I head, had to suffer publicly due to the acts of a few. Nonetheless, I take full responsibility and apologize for all this,” he added.

Dureza, however, thanked Duterte for the opportunity of being the Presidential Peace Adviser under his watch.