Sacked FDA chief clueless on corruption allegations

MANILA, Philippines — Sacked Food and Drugs Administration chief Nela Charade Puno on Friday stressed that she has not been subject to any corruption-related probe, but stands ready to face any allegations in any forum.

“I take exception to the mention of so-called ‘corruption allegations’ because I am clueless as to what these are,” Puno said in a statement.

READ: The statement of former @FDAPhilippines Director General Nela Charade Puno. @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/5QdTdsmogm

— sheila crisostomo (@shecrisostomo) May 17, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the immediate termination of Puno’s appointment as director general of FDA on May 15.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo read the letter, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, to reporters late Thursday afternoon.

Quoting from the letter, Panelo said Puno’s appointment had been terminated effective immediately, “in line with the president’s continuing mandate to eradicate graft and corruption and to ensure that public officials and employees conduct themselves in a manner worthy of public trust.”

Neither the letter nor Panelo expounded on the corruption allegations against Puno.

Puno said that she received the letter Thursday afternoon. She said that she accepted her termination “without ill feelings.”

She however clarified that she has not been charged nor been investigatigated over any corruption allegations.

Puno said that she is ready to face allegations thrown against her in any forum.

“I leave FDA with a clear conscience and what I believe to be a clean record. It is completely unnecessary to sully the personal and professional reputations of people who sacrifice to render public service,” Puno also said.

In March, the Palace announced that Alexander Balutan had been sacked as Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager over corruption allegations but later said that he had "resigned out of delicadeza because of, as we have said, serious allegations of corruption in the PCSO."

Balutan, who called for a "full and impartial investigation" into the allegations, had been involved in a public spat with PCSO director Sandra Cam over throwing a supposedly lavish Christmas party for PCSO employees in 2017. — Kristine Joy Patag with The STAR/Sheila Crisostomo