PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has fired Transport Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino for his supposed "dealings with a presidential relative," Malacañang announced Monday, May 21.
"The President has terminated the services of Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino for having dealings with a presidential relative -- a sister," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told Palace reporters.
"And the reminder of the President is no one should entertain any relative of the President, in connection with any matter that has to do with government," he added.
Duterte's dismissal order against Tolentino came just three days after the latter claimed that the Mindanao railway project was being deliberately derailed, in an attempt of some Department of Transportation's (DOTr) higher officials to borrow funds from a foreign firm despite having a P36-billion budget.
Roque said that while Tolentino had been embroiled in several controversies during his stint at the DOTr, the President's main concern was that the Transport official communicated with an unnamed "presidential sister."
He, however, was not privy to the supposed dealings done between Tolentino and Duterte's sister.
The Palace official merely emphasized that Tolentino's act was considered violative of the Chief Executive's order not to transact with any of his relatives, with regard to issues concerning the government.
"I do not know who is [the presidential sister Tolentino had a dealings with]. Apparently, it is a presidential sister. So the message is the President is serious [in his pronouncement]: Do not even talk to them (presidential relatives) about any matter concerning government. You will get sacked if you do," he said.
"If you talk to any of the relatives of the President, that's a basis for your dismissal. May the dismissal of Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino serve as an example," he added.
Tolentino is just one of the five top government officials who are expected to be fired by Duterte this week over allegations of corruption.
In a speech delivered in Cebu City on Saturday, May 19, Duterte announced that he would be fire more public officials as part of his commitment to get rid of corruption in government under his watch.
Amid his crackdown on corruption, Duterte on May 15 demanded the resignation of Justice Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon Sr. and Public Works Assistant Secretary Tingagon Umpa for their supposed involvement in corruption.
On May 16, the President also made public the names of several government officials who are suspended amid the investigation conducted by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. (SunStar Philippines)