Marina chief’s dismissal sought over monthly travels

MANILA, Philippines — E?mployees of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) are urging President Duterte to dismiss their chief, citing his monthly trips abroad.

The Alliance of MARINA Employees (AME) slammed MARINA administrator Marcial Quirico Amaro III, branding him as an “absentee administrator” because of his frequent absences from office due to his foreign travels.

In a letter to the President dated Dec. 21, the employees said they became demoralized by Amaro’s monthly travels, leaving MARINA and maritime industry stakeholders confused.

The call for dismissal came amid recent directives by Duterte to all government officials to cease all foreign travels next year, and the removal of the chairman of the Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor and its commissioners and the administrator of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

?The employees claimed Amaro traveled abroad on foreign junkets 11 times this year alone, and was out almost the entire month of November until early this month on three foreign trips.

The AME said they were afraid to make themselves known because Amaro frequently bragged of his links to businessman Dennis Uy, owner of Phoenix Petroleum and one of the biggest donors to the President’s electoral campaign in 2016.

?“While we attach high regard to the stature of Mr. Uy as a responsible businessman and a young up-and-coming tycoon with diverse business interests in petroleum, logistics, retail, casino and leisure and educational institutions, our apprehension is premised on the possible conflict of interest of Mr. Amaro, who used to be Mr. Uy’s vice president for ship management in Chelsea Ship Management & Marine Services Corp.,”AME said.

The MARINA employees also noted that during the flag-raising ceremony, Amaro allegedly verbally attacked Secretary Arthur Tugade and the Department of Transportation for issuing late travel clearances.