PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte wants someone who is "honest and competent" to lead the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Malacañang said on Thursday, September 12.
"The President has only two qualifications: honesty and competence," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told a press conference, when asked for qualities that Duterte is considering for the next BuCor chief.
Panelo issued the statement a day after neophyte Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said he wants a "killer" to head the BuCor, which is facing controversies following the early release of heinous crime convicts based on good conduct.
On September 4, Duterte ordered the "immediate" resignation of Faeldon and the recall of the freed inmates.
Go, in an interview on Wednesday, September 11, said he asked the President to appoint a "killer" from the police or the military in place of Faeldon.
Asked if there is a possibility that Duterte might consider Go's recommendation, Panelo said: "A killer? the President has not made any announcement on that so we'll just have to wait for his appointing a person to replace chief Faeldon."
On September 6, the Chief Executive made it clear that he still believes in the integrity and competence of Faeldon, whom he branded as a "decent man."
Faeldon is just one of the retired military officials who held key positions in the Duterte government.
He was first tapped as Customs chief, but resigned from office in August 2017 after at least P6.4 billion worth of shabu slipped past port inspections.
Faeldon was reappointed to the Office of the Civil Defense before being he was delegated as BuCor chief in November 2018.
On September 10, the President said he was no longer keen to re-appoint Faeldon, who already found a new job in a private corporation. (SunStar Philippines)