Laviña resigned for health reasons, NIA says

MANILA, Philippines — National Irrigation Administration chief Peter Tiu Laviña has tendered his resignation due to health reasons three months after he assumed the post.

"He tended an irrevocable resignation. It’s not true that he was fired by the president," NIA spokesperson Pilipina Bermudez told The STAR in a phone interview.

Bermudez was disputing published reports that President Rodrigo Duterte himself fired his campaign spokesman due to alleged corruption.

Rappler, citing sources allegedly present at a meeting between Duterte and labor leaders, reported that Laviña was fired by the president for allegedly receiving "40 percent." According to the report, two sources said that Duterte himself mentioned the decision and emphasized his zero tolerance for corruption.

"There are health reasons. We noticed he has become paler and he's not his usual self. He also lost a lot of weight," Bermudez said.

The resignation was effective Tuesday, February 28.

In a Facebook post, Laviña confirmed his resignation but denied the implied corruption issues.

"There are rumors circulating that I have asked money from NIA contractors. These are not true," he said.

"To spare the president from these embarrassing stories, particularly in these times of intensified attacks on him, I have quietly left government. I have neither personal vested interest in it nor ill intent towards NIA and the whole government, which we are trying to reform," Laviña added.

The former NIA head emphasized that he never betrayed the trust of the president and thanked him for the opportunity to serve the government.

"I have proven in the past that one need not be in government to do public service or work for the common good. I will likely continue to do so in media, civil society and the business sector where I have been involved before," he said.

While the highest NIA post is yet to be filled, Deputy Administrator for Finance Estrella Icasiano will be the officer-in-charge as of the time being.

NIA is under the Office of the President being supervised by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco.

Laviña's wife Evelyn is an undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture.