Duterte vows to wage war vs. corruption until 2022

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on July 11, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to dedicate his last three years as chief executive in weeding out graft and corruption in the government.

In an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy early Wednesday morning in Davao City, Duterte also vowed to preserve the accomplishment of his administration since he assumed office midway of 2016.

“I’d like to maintain the momentum of (campaign against) graft. You know, Pastor, I will not live forever.

But maybe as President I have this — not everybody is given a chance to address to the people,” he told the founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Duterte said everyone in government knows that he has “zero tolerance” for people involved in corruption.

The President said he recently suspended about 64 officials and employees of the Bureau of Customs due to corruption.

Aside from eradicating corruption, Duterte vowed to continue the government’s drive against illegal drugs and crime in the country. The chief executive boasted that the drug situation in the country is “quite low” and therefore the crime rate decreased also.

“What I promised was if elected president, I would return the right of the citizens to use the streets, alleys, parks and all without fear. I think I made my mark very clear,” said Duterte, the country’s first leader from Mindanao explained.

“There are less drugs on the streets. But I intend to keep it low if not eradicate all. That is one I would like to maintain,” he added.

According to latest data from July 1, 2016 to February 28, 2019, at least 123,441 anti-drug operations were carried out by law enforcers, where about 5,281 drug personalities were killed and 176,021 were arrested.

In the same period, the government was able to dismantle a total of 309 drug dens and clandestine laboratories.