Rody fires usec; more to go

MANILA, Philippines -  Another official – an undersecretary – got the ax from President Duterte and more officials are on their way out, he said, as he vowed to fire anyone at the slightest hint of corruption.

“I will continue to fire people – (at) the first whiff, maamoy ko lang, maski na hindi totoo (if I just smell something, even if it is not true), you’re out,” Duterte said yesterday during an agriculture event in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

The firing of the official, whom Duterte did not name, came two days after his dismissal of interior secretary Ismael Sueno for corruption.

In his remarks during the event, Duterte said he was “appalled” by the action of the undersecretary to review a decision of the National Food Authority (NFA) to stop the importation of rice.

“I was appalled that an undersecretary, they reviewed the decision of (NFA administrator) Jason Aquino denying importation… and it was appealed in Malacañang, filed in the Office of the President,” Duterte said.

“Sabi ko, ‘Anong mukha ko na iharap ko sa farmers (I said ‘how do I face the farmers)? Why would we allow importation to compete with local product?’ Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko mabasa anong ginawa nilang rason (Until now, I cannot figure out their reason for doing that). Of course, hindi natuloy dahil binara ko (it did not push through because I stopped it).”

Duterte did not name the dismissed official but Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol revealed she was Maia Chiara Halmen Valdez, an undersecretary under the Office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco and an appointee of former president Benigno Aquino III.

“On my way here, I was about to land, I said ‘call Malacañang. She’s fired.’ So she’s the second. There are two more undersecretaries,” the President said, without naming the undersecretaries facing the ax.

“At the end of the day, mamaya, meron nang mga lima (there about five) in a week. Kaya hindi ako magdadalawalang isip. Maski kaibigan kita (I won’t think twice, even if you are my friend),” he added.

It was not clear if he meant five officials would be fired in a week or if he was referring to the five DA undersecretaries, three of them holdovers from the previous Aquino administration.

Valdez figured in a controversy recently after Philippine Coconut Authority administrator Avelino Andal – suspended over allegations of corruption – accused her of influencing Evasco to issue various orders.

Andal also accused Valdez of being involved in efforts by Aquino supporters to undermine the Duterte administration.

Valdez said in an earlier interview that she was thinking of suing Andal for issuing “libelous statements.”

On Monday, Duterte fired Sueno, citing the latter’s alleged involvement in corruption.

Sueno, one of those who convinced Duterte to run for president, has denied the allegations.

Duterte, in his remarks, also mentioned the dismissal of his longtime friend and former NIA chief Peter Laviña, allegedly for asking money from contractors.

Laviña had denied the allegations and claimed that he was a victim of a hatchet job.

“He (Laviña) was with me in 1988 when I became mayor. When I became president, he was there,” he said.

“Ngayon pa siya nagkalat (He just made a mess). I have to fire him. I was looking at the budget of NIA. It’s P150 billion. Now, if you start to f*** with the money, malaki ang mawawala talaga sa gobyerno (the government will lose a lot of money).”

Duterte stressed that he would not condone any form of corruption while he is president, noting that he has already fired 92 officials from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land transportation Office.

He also cited his decision to fire immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, his fraternity brothers at the San Beda College of Law, who were accused of extorting P50 million from gambling tycoon Jack Lam.

“There will be no corruption, not even a single peso,” Duterte said.