Duterte says he will fire more officials next week

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte announced Tuesday that he would fire more officials next week as he warned that the Philippines would be "doomed" if corruption is not addressed. 

Duterte said he is waiting for a report of the officials, whom, according to him, were asked to explain why they should not be dismissed.

"(I promised to) lessen the corruption but I will fire more next week. I am just waiting for their report," the president said during the turnover of grants to beneficiaries of a government cash transfer program in South Cotabato. 

"I told them: 'You give me your report and if I find it justifiable, you can stay. But if there is corruption, I’m sorry,'" he added. 

READ: Duterte gives self passing grade of '5 or 6' for first 3 years in term

Duterte did not identify the officials who are in danger of losing their jobs. 

Last week, Duterte ordered officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to submit a report on the water service interruptions in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal by April 10.

The president had also warned MWSS executives to "shape up or ship out" but it was not clear whether he was referring to water regulators when he made the announcement.  

READ: Duterte to MWSS, water concessionaires: Shape up or ship out

Duterte has fired several officials who were tagged in irregularities like ghost deliveries of supplies, unnecessary trips, costly project proposals and deals that were deemed disadvantageous to the government. 

The president has said the firing spree was in line with his goal to cleanse the government of corrupt officials.

Critics, however, claimed the anti-corruption campaign was questionable because the president has given new posts to some of the dismissed officials.

READ: Bam: Duterte's 'recycling' of officials gives mixed signals on corruption

Duterte stressed that the Philippines would not improve unless the corruption problem is fixed. 

"Whoever the president would be and even if you give that president five terms... if there is no peace and order and no resolve to stop corruption in government... there is no way for us to move up," the president said. 

"Pag hindi nagbago ang gobyerno, hindi nagbago ang sitwasyon, patay. Ganun-ganun lang talaga tayo (If the government does not change, if the situation does not change, we are doomed. We'd be stuck)," he added. 

Duterte previously claimed he does not meddle with state projects but would not hesitate to punish officials who steal from government coffers. 

"If I land in jail, it could not be corruption. That would be very impossible," the president said in a speech delivered in Malacañang earlier this month.