MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to tender his resignation was due to exasperation over the alleged corruption within government agencies, said his spokesperson Harry Roque.
According to Roque, it was the first time that the country’s chief executive made the offer as it only shows his seriousness in curbing corruption.
“Let’s just say he’s serious in his expression of exasperation,” Roque said in Tuesday’s virtual press conference. “Hindi naman po unang beses niya sinabi ‘yan. Ang talagang frustration niya ay ‘di nawawala ang korapsyon.”
“Zero tolerance po talaga ang Presidente laban sa korapsyon. Tingin ko hindi siya magre-resign dahil two years na lang siya sa pwesto, igugugol niya ito sa paglinis ng mga ahensya,” he added.
Roque, in a separate interview with GMA 7’s Unang Hirit on Tuesday, said the President’s latest statement had something to do with his desire to cut red tape in bureaucracy.
“Kinakailangan iyong mga nagbibigay ng mga permit na wala namang dapat discretion, iyong permits para sa telco, mga permit para sa rehistro – hindi iyan dapat pinatatagal. Dahil kapag iyan ay pinapatagal, isa lang ang ibig sabihin, humihingi po ng tongpats,” Roque said.
During his public address on Monday evening, President Duterte said he offered to step down from his post out of frustration.
“I offered to resign as president, sabi ko kasi nagsasawa na ako sa corruption,” Duterte said. “Even with the investigation or the clamor for government to shake the tree, wala, hanggang ngayon it’s being committed every day. Can you stop it? You cannot, there is no way.”
“I appeal again to Congress, I cannot fight corruption… I cannot find a way to move who are almost resistant to finding fault and resisting moves of government to improve. Congress might want to enact a legislation,” he added./PN
