PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 24, renewed his commitment that he would get rid of the corruption that continues to hound the government under his six-year term.
In his second State of the Nation Address (Sona), Duterte cautioned that he would never allow any government officials and employees to be involved in any irregularities.
"I will never tolerate corruption in my administration, not even the whip of it," Duterte said at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
"Let the dismissal of high-ranking officials, whom I myself appointed, serve as a warning to all that I will never back down on my commitment to please this government," he added.
Duterte’s promise on his first Sona is that there would be a “101 percent clean government” under his watch.
During his first year in office, Duterte has fired several government officials, even those who are close to him, in an attempt to rid his administration of individuals who are tainted with corruption.
Some of the sacked public officials were his comrades, namely, former Irrigation administrator Peter Laviña and former Local Government secretary Ismael Sueno. (SunStar Philippines)