DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte refused to comply with the order of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to stop granting allowances to prosecutors.
Duterte expressed his defiance during the 27th National Convention of Prosecutors at the SMX Convention Center on Tuesday.
De Lima had ordered local government units to stop granting allowances to prosecutors, saying it could damage their integrity.
But Duterte was firm in opposing the order. "I will not follow. I do not believe in her when it is stated in the law," he said.
Prosecutors are allowed to receive special allowances in accordance with the Prosecution Act of 2010 (Republic Act 10071) and the Act Granting Additional Compensation in the form of Special Allowances for the Members of the National Prosecution Services and the State Counsels (RA 9279.
Regional Prosecutor for Davao Antonio Arellano said local governments cannot be stopped from granting the allowance.
"We are with her in her desire to come up with higher standards of governance, but considering the situation of the prosecutors in the field and regional areas, the resources from the national government is inadequate, that’s why it’s good that the law provides when the resources from the national government is inadequate, the local government should assist,” Arellano said.
He said local governments pay prosecutors a uniform salary of P8,000.