Duterte confirms firing DBM exec

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte last night confirmed he fired an undersecretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) over charges of corruption. 

“Today I fired the undersecretary of the DBM,” the President said in a talk before participants of the Philippine Business Conference  in Manila last night. 

Sources said DBM Undersecretary for legal and liaison Gertrudo de Leon was among the latest government officials to be fired by the President.

A source in the DBM said the agency received a copy of De Leon’s resignation letter addressed to the Office of the President yesterday.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno confirmed to The STAR that one of undersecretaries was fired but declined to elaborate.

“My plan is not to replace him. I have one undersecretary on study leave and she’s returning soon,” Diokno said. The DBM still has six undersecretaries.  

The President earlier said he had fired at least 190 government officials over corruption charges. 

The President reportedly scolded De Leon during a meeting at the Malago Clubhouse in the Malacañang Park grounds Wednesday afternoon. 

The President first met with De Leon before going to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology event at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. 

De Leon was among the appointees who took their oath before the President on Sept. 12, 2016.

De Leon joined the Duterte administration last year after more than two decades in private law practice. – With Grace Padin, Alexis Romero