MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is only re-appointing to other positions dismissed government officials not involved in corruption activities, the Malacañang clarified in a statement.
“The officials who were either removed or resigned from their posts and appointed to other positions were not tainted with corruption during their stint in their offices,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
He added: “It just happened that their expertise and talents were not suited to their previous positions, hence, their re-appointment to their present offices that will showcase their competence.”
Panelo’s clarification came on the heels of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales tirade that Duterte has the penchant of “recycling” dismissed officials even if they are facing cases before the Sandiganbayan.
“Those who have not been re-appointed were stained with corruption and they included long-time friends, allies, fraternity brods and relations. As we have stressed before, there are no sacred cows in this administration,” Panelo said.
He added: “But contrary to the perception by some that she is blaming the dismissal of those cases to the current administration, she is not, and she said so herself when asked by this representation.”
The Palace official also noted that the President respects the rule of law and will abide by the court’s verdict whenever a member of his Cabinet gets indicted for graft cases.
“We cannot be ruled by our emotions, otherwise there will be chaos. We are certain that the present Ombudsman must have wised up to the legal debacles that his office lost and learned from the lessons presented to it,” he added./PN
