MANILA – (Update, 4:39 pm) President Rodrigo Duterte has terminated the services of Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Marcial Amaro III for going on 24 trips in a span of 13 months from 2016 to 2017, 21 trips of which were paid for by the government, including plane fare.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press conference on Thursday the President received a complaint on December 22 purportedly from MARINA employees alleging that Amaro went on 11 foreign trips in 2017 alone.
Duterte then ordered an investigation, after which, the Department of Transportation gave him a list of Amaro’s travels, showing that he made 18 travels in 2017 and six in 2016.
All trips except for one were official, said Roque, but added that public officials must be selective about the trips they take. They must live modestly and avoid traveling “excessively”.
Roque said Amaro also received honoraria for almost all of his trips abroad.
The Presidential Spokesperson said Duterte believes that public officials should concentrate on their jobs here in the Philippines, and that trips abroad should only be for those working in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Based on the guidelines for public officials when going on foreign trips, these must be related to their government functions; these must not be too costly; and these must have substantial benefits to the country. All government employees need to get approval for personal and official foreign travels, Roque said.
This was the President’s “unilateral decision” to crack down on officials’ foreign travels.
Roque added that Duterte had not yet made an announcement regarding Amaro’s replacement.
Meanwhile, investigation into “quite a number of police officials, including colonels” who will soon be terminated is drawing to a close. Roque said he did not know how many officials there were.
DOTr: WE RESPECT PRESIDENT’S DECISION
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), to which MARINA is attached, said in a statement it respects Duterte’s decision to terminate the services of Amaro III. ”The DOTr trusts that the President’s decision is just, fair, and unprejudiced as it was based on verifiable facts and a thorough investigation.”
The statement added that DOTr, under the leadership of Secretary Arthur Tugade, looks into the affairs and performances of all its attached agencies, and shall not, in any case, tolerate corruption and excesses in government service. Rest assured that the DOTr and its attached agencies and offices will be very discerning and judicious in this matter.”