Duterte Pledges at UNCAC: No Corruption

President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his commitment Wednesday to eliminate corruption in government and put an end to decades long abuses in the bureaucracy.

Filipinos are fed up with corruption and this is the reason why he was elected president due to his strong stance against it as well as illegal drugs and criminality.

“I will give you a respite of this so many generations of corruption in this country. We are like a plane on the verge of a takeoff and yet cannot lift, there is no lift because of corruption,”

President Duterte said in his speech during the 4th State Conference of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption Implementation Review in Malacañan Palace attended by members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

“Iyan talaga ang totoo diyan. Everywhere including sa baba, local governments,” he added.

The President particularly cited the construction of infrastructures in the country, which he said is almost always done by officials engaged in corruption and abuses.

In order to protect government funds, he said he would personally supervise the constructions of infrastructures in Jolo and Basilan, noting it will be undertaken by the Office of the President and handled by the military.

“At ako mismo ang magtingin doon, the hospitals and all. Otherwise, walang dadating doon,” he said. “Ako na mismo ang mag-supervise. Ibigay ko sa engineering battalion. You go down Sabah. Construction of the roads there. Mga engineering brigades there. So may makuha po ako diyan kabutihan.” He is not casting any aspersion, he said, but it’s the reality.

It’s either he does not extend help, withhold the money or help and do it.

His government is also addressing red tape, the President said. He particularly cited the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) wherein he said in the past it would take two to three years to get the papers processed and released, but now under his administration, it only takes a month.

He also mentioned the reforms in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) headed by Commissioner Caesar “Billy” Dulay. “Kay Billy Dulay, sabi niya three days. Kasi ‘yung ano, the longer they squat on the documents, pera-pera talaga ‘yan. So, it needs to be corrected now,” he said.

“There will be no corruption. I will assure you 100 percent,” the President stressed. (PCO)