The Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said in his national address that he can’t “claim” a totally clean government amid series of audit findings highlighting government inefficiency. He made the comments after firing the head of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
He said the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, after an investigation, recommended the removal of NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong. “I dismissed him from public service,” the President said in a recorded national address that aired on Saturday.
The President also slammed the Commission on Audit (COA) for its public release of audit reports, which he said has led to the “flogging” of government officials and agencies. The COA which works to ensure prudent public spending had recently alleged deficiencies in the health department’s use of COVID-19 funds.
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In 2016 Duterte promised to curb corruption in 3 to 6 months acknowledging that some people are “skeptic and cynic about our desire to improve government service.”
“We do not claim to maybe really, totally clean government at this time, not even with another president,” he said.
“Endemic ang corruption (corruption is endemic), but from time to time, ito, I’m given the opportunity to show the people that we are not bragging about it, but we are trying our best to cope up with situation regarding graft and corruption in our government.”
The COA had recently highlighted deficiencies in various agencies including the health department for its management of some Php67 billion pandemic funds. Earlier this week, Duterte said it was “pure bullshit” to assume there was corruption in the health agency because of the state auditors’ report.
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“We have to correct that perception because it will destroy the faith of the people in government… And it’s very important, the people must be informed and they must realize that we are a working government,” Duterte said.
“I do not, I said, proclaim that it is graft-free. We are trying our very best to cope up,” he added.
The administration has been dogged by scandals and graft cases ranging from prisons, the state insurer, immigration, airports and customs, to police and the drugs enforcement agency and the Philippines fell 14 notches to 113th spot among 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index in 2019. Last year the country slipped two more spots to 115th. (AW)
