DILG execs want Rody to settle row

MANILA, Philippines - The three undersecretaries of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) remain silent on the controversy involving them and their boss Secretary Ismael Sueno, whom they accused of corruption and other abuses.

In a phone interview yesterday, Undersecretary for operations John Castriciones said he and Undersecretaries Jesus Hinlo for public safety and Emilie Padilla for legislative liaison will not issue any statement but rather let President Duterte decide on the matter.

Castriciones said the complaint letter against Sueno, which was addressed to the President, “was supposed to be confidential but he (Sueno) leaked it to the media.”

“For us, our position is that we joined the government because we love our country, we support the advocacy of the President and we will not tolerate the contrary. We will allow President Duterte to decide on the matter,” he added.

When asked what will they do if the President directs them to work together, Castriciones said they will cross the bridge when they get there.

The STAR obtained a copy of the confidential letter to the President not from Sueno but from another source.

The letter was reportedly from the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC).

Sueno and the three undersecretaries are members of the MRRD-NECC, the national volunteer organization that helped Duterte get elected as president.

Sueno expressed belief that the compliant letter was initiated by his three undersecretaries, whom he said are resentful because he had to reassign some of the workload and projects to other undersecretaries since nothing happened to the programs given to the three.

“We urgently pray to you Mr. President to please act with dispatch if you so decide to remove Mike Sueno from his post, otherwise he will create more harm against the DILG and cause injustice to the Filipino people by abusing his power and position,” the letter read.

“There is a new hotel in Marbel, South Cotabato which is suspiciously owned by Secretary Sueno, although he alleges that this property belongs to his brother. His farm in South Cotabato which used to have only one nipa hut prior to his being a secretary, now has several expensive structures being built,” it added.

Sueno denied the allegations and maintained that the property in question really belongs to his younger brother, a long-time businessman.

But the DILG chief admitted that the farm belongs to him. He explained that he is now able to improve the property because of his flourishing duck business.

He denied that he is abusing his power and position as alleged in the confidential letter to the President.

During the flag-raising ceremony at the DILG yesterday, Sueno said he never used his position to enrich himself or pursue his personal interests in his many years in public service.

“Ever since, my advocacy against corruption is strong. President Duterte and I have the same belief against it. That is why their accusation against me is impossible,” he said.

“It appears that from the very start, they want my head and are out to discredit me because they want somebody else to head the department,” he said.

Sueno also claimed that the appointment of the three undersecretaries in the DILG was not initially welcomed by the DILG organic personnel because they were “bullying and pushing people around.”

He said that he gave them another chance to reform their ways, considering that he does not want infighting in the DILG.

He also made it clear that he never told the undersecretaries that their loyalty should be to him and not to the President.

“This is a big lie. My prayer has always been for God to make me humbler than I was yesterday. I have always recognized the authority of the President and in the same way, I have encouraged my officials to do the same,” he said.