MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said he would also join Thursday’s demonstrations, which he earlier dubbed as “national day of protest,” so he could take a stand against allegedly corrupt government officials and employees, who were appointed by the previous Aquino administration.
“Kasi ako magpoprotesta rin kasi maraming mga dilaw nand’yan sa mga commission, napaka-corrupt,” said Duterte during an interview with PTV last Tuesday, Sept. 19.
[I will also protest because there are many yellows there at the commissions, they are so corrupt.]
“So even ‘yong sa mga directory board, eh magpoprotesta rin ako [I will also protest the appointments of those in directory boards] because I cannot remove them simply because they have a fixed term, there is security of tenure,” he said.
“Ibig sabihin, hindi mo basta-basta mapaalis [It means you can’t just remove them from their posts]. It’s either sa [through the] civil service or you have to go to court to oust them,” the President added.
Duterte said the “yellow” appointees, including Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairman Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon, should resign out of “delicadeza” and not wait to be asked to do so.
‘Gascon is really LP’s spokesman’
The President said Gascon “is really the spokesman of the Liberal Party,” who allegedly uses the issue of isolated killings of youngters to discredit his administration.
“Si Gascon ay talagang spokesman ng Liberal. Kung magka-isyu lang isang patay, balik-balikin n’ya yan. ‘Yong patay, nailibing na, mag-anibersaryo na lang, ‘yan ang pabalik-balik n’ya,” said Duterte.
“And I am really pissed of because maraming patay na dapat tingnan itong Human Rights [the CHR needs to also look into other many cases of deaths],” he added.
The President complained that the CHR allegedly wasn’t doing anything to help solve the problem of terrorism in Marawi, Lanao del Sur that had victimized many residents, including women.
“Not even a whimper o pakiusap lang naman doon sa mga kung sinu-sinong matawagan nila sa [or a plea to those they could call up in the] Middle East to use their influence over the terrorists,” he said.
“Na sabihin hintuin n’yo na ‘yan, i-release n’yo na ‘yan because sabi ng nakasibat doon, na ire-rape nila ‘yong mga babae [That they tell them to stop, to release the hostages because according to those who had fled the area, the women were being raped there] or forcing the women into marriage with a terrorist,” Duterte said.
“My God, what kind of a government agency are you? You stick on one or two or three, make it a melodranmatic affair for…your protest then ignoring all other deaths of Filipinos, which should have called your attention also,” he added.
