MANILA, Philippines - Pinagbibitiw sa puwesto ni Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte si Justice Secretary Leila de Lima kaugnay ng rice smuggling sa bansa.
Muling pinuna ni Duterte ang aniya'y kabagalan ng pagpapanagot sa nasa likod ng bilyung-bilyong rice smuggling na ikinalulugi ng mga magsasakang Pilipino.
"If you are there for a long time and you have not yet solved smuggling until now and yearly we lose 7 million, that is a crime and that is criminal negligence on their part," pahayag ng alkalde nitong kamakalawa.
"Marunong lang silang magdaldal d'yan, ano'ng silbi nila? How many years have they been there?" tanong ni Duterte.
Nais ni Duterte na bumaba na sa puwesto ang kalihim dahil na rin sa maraming mambabatas ang ayaw sa kanya.
"De Lima has been bypassed for several times. The representatives of the people, which are really the senators and the congressman, do not agree with her appointment. Out of delicadeza umalis ka na d'yan ... Don't you think it is about time to adopt a certain degree of delicadeza by stepping down?" banat ni Duterte.
Nag-ugat ang galit ni Duterte matapos palayain ng National Bureau of Investigation ang itinuturong nasa likod ng rice smuggling na si Davidson Bangayan ang umano'y totoong pangalan ni "David Tan."
"It does not name how many names he uses. What is important is the persona, the physical identity of that person and go ahead and arrest him," sabi ni Duterte.
"Hanggang ngayon still agonizing and they have to wait for the Senate to provide them information. Until now, until now! The figure says about P1.3 trillion and you're still establishing which name for what person," dagdag niya.