MORE than thousands of government officials who will vacate their posts are those who are appointed by the “past” administration, a Palace official said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella stressed that the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to dismiss all presidential appointees in government “does not apply to the current appointees.”

“[Public officials who will be sacked] are appointees from the past administration and does not refer to appointees of the current administration, except those who have been made reference to” Abella said.

On Sunday, the President announced that over thousands of government officials will vacate their jobs on Monday because of persistent corruption in their respective offices.

Duterte mentioned the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Offices as agencies where corruption remains rampant.

“On Monday...[i]f you are there because of a presidential appointment, I will declare all your positions all throughout the country vacant,” the President said.

“It will number in thousands. Consider yourself in the crucible of the truth about corruption in this country,” he added.

The President said that during his six-year stint, there would be a “clean government.”

In order to suppress graft and corruption within the public sector, Duterte vowed to name the “scalawags” in government. (Sunnex)