PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has fired Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno, his spokesman said Tuesday as infighting and corruption allegations continued to rock his administration.
Sueno, who supervised Duterte’s war on drugs that has left thousands dead, was fired on the spot at a Cabinet meeting late Monday, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“The summary dismissal served as a warning that Mr. Duterte would not countenance any questionable or legally untenable decisions by any member of the Cabinet,” Abella added.
He did not say what these decisions were, but added the sacking formed part of Duterte’s “drive for a trustworthy government by addressing issues like corruption.”
On Tuesday, the President said Sueno was “lying through his teeth” when he denied there was anything onerous about paying for Rosenbauer firetrucks under a contract signed by the previous administration.
At the inauguration of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s Crisis Management Center, Duterte lambasted Sueno for taking him as “a stupid idiot” by telling him that his legal department had not informed him of any irregularities in the firetruck contract.
“He was not following the legal opinion of his own office. That’s why… I lost my [temper]. If you answer me with that kind of statement, but you’ve never read legal opinions of the legal officer of your own office, it’s either you’re taking me for a stupid idiot, or you are lying through your teeth sans the embarrassment or humiliation,” the President said.
“Kaya ako naputangina. [That’s why I cursed.] I said, you’re fired. That simple,” he said.
Duterte insisted that Sueno’s claims were all lies.
After receiving a letter from Sueno’s undersecretaries, John Castriciones, Emily Padilla and Jesus Hinlo, Duterte began to investigate the implementation of the contract for Rosenbauer firetrucks from Austria for about P20 million each, when similar trucks could be bought for half the price.
Sueno supposedly traveled to Austria with his family to personally ensure the delivery of 76 firetrucks, even though the government contract is the subject of a case pending before the Supreme Court.
In a statement issued Monday, hours before his sacking, Sueno, 69, denied any involvement in corruption, blaming other followers of Duterte for circulating such allegations against him.
“My advocacy against corruption has been strong. My belief is the same as President Duterte in fighting this. So this accusation against me is impossible,” said Sueno, a former provincial governor and city mayor.
Sueno said he was being badmouthed by three junior secretaries in the Department of the Interior and Local Government, like him also appointed by Duterte.
Asked if Sueno might face further charges, Abella told reporters: “Let us wait for the President to take his subsequent actions.”
Sueno’s sacking comes a month after Perfecto Yasay left his post as Foreign secretary after Congress ruled that he lied to them over his US citizenship.
Abella said the loss of another Cabinet member was not a sign of trouble but proof that Duterte was serious about restoring trust in government.
He did not say who would replace Sueno, though there has been speculation Duterte would appoint Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Former senator Marcos lost the vice presidential election last year but is contesting the outcome before an election tribunal.
In Congress, two other close Duterte allies, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo, have been publicly feuding for weeks with Duterte trying to stay out of the quarrel.
Alvarez has accused Floirendo, the biggest contributor to the Duterte election campaign, of corruption, but Floirendo denies the charge.
Duterte won election by a landslide in May largely on his promise to launch a war on illegal drugs.
Although the campaign has proved popular at home, the President has faced international criticism for thousands of killings that human rights advocates say were carried out as part of the anti-drug initiative.
The government denies the allegations.
Sueno is the third person to leave Duterte’s Cabinet, after Vice President Leni Robredo, who resigned as housing czar, and Yasay, who was was rejected by the Commission on Appointments.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the Cabinet meeting opened with the allegations against Sueno.
The President then left the Aguinaldo State Dining Room with a promise to talk to Sueno privately.
Two Cabinet secretaries, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo and Environment Secretary Regina Lopez presented their plans before the Cabinet, but when Duterte came back, he announced that he had sacked Sueno, a move that caught the Interior secretary off guard.
Reports of Sueno’s alleged corruption activities were made public Monday after a confidential letter was given by the one of the advocacy groups that bankrolled Duterte’s campaign, including an alleged brand-new hotel in Marbel, South Cotabato; construction on his South Cotabato farm; authorizing a mayor to join a Washington, DC trip on illegal drugs; and an alleged all-expenses-paid trip for Sueno and members of his family to Austria and other European countries—allegedly as a result of an anomalous deal by the previous administration to buy firetrucks.
Sueno vehemently denied that he abused his power position, adding that he had never used his position to enrich himself or pursue his personal interest.
In the same press briefing, Abella denied that Sueno’s departure will pave the way for the appointment of Marcos.
“There has been no comment, no mention, and absolutely no reference to him [Marcos] as far as I’m concerned and as far as the Cabinet is concerned,” Abella said.
A former South Cotabato governor, Sueno was given the Interior portfolio, which has supervision over all local government units and the police last year.
Sueno afterward said he is ready to face any investigation and was ready to clear his name.
“My conscience is clear,” he said.
He said there was no way he could have presented the purchase of the Rosenbauer firetrucks because they were covered by a perfected contract entered into by the previous administration.
“My role was to abide by the provision of the contract which says that I should ensure that the firetrucks [are] to be delivered are in good condition so my team and I had to go to Austria to inspect them. If we did not do that, we cannot anymore complain if they delivered defective firetrucks to us,” he said.
Sueno also said that the firetrucks are actually much cheaper than locally made firetrucks because these are covered by a soft loan agreement for 23 years with only minimal interest rates.
“The Austrian firetrucks are new ones compared to the locally-made ones which are cheaper but are reconditioned and which are good only for a few years. But then again, this is beside the point. The contract is perfected and I only had to implement it,” he said.
Sueno said while there is a pending petition before the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the contract, there is no temporary restraining order to stop it from going forward.
On the other corruption allegations raised against him, Sueno said the truth will prevail.
“What goes around comes around. I hope that they [his detractors] will do better than I did in the DILG. I may be old, I may not be as articulate as my three lawyer-undersecretaries, but if there is one thing that I am sure of, it is I am not corrupt.”
Lawmakers on Tuesday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s no-nonsense policy against officials facing corruption charges.
Reps. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Harry Roque of Kabayan party-list, Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, Karlo Alexei Nograles of Davao City and Jericho Nograles of PBA party-list said the firing of Sueno proved the President’s commitment to get rid of officials facing corruption allegations.
Whether the allegation of corruption against Sueno is true or not, Albano said “it is the prerogative of the President whom to fire and whom to retain. That is his official family.”
Nograles shared a similar view.
“All Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the President. Simple loss of trust and confidence is enough reason for him to let you go, especially for Cabinet members who serve as alter-egos of the President,” Nograles said.
“The President is sending a very strong message. The President is not corrupt, and he will not tolerate any corruption in government. Bosom buddies, allies, even those instrumental in his election campaign—he will not hesitate to kick you out,” he added.
Nograles said the sacking of Sueno should serve as notice to all people in this administration that no one is indispensable.
“You have to work hard and honestly without and whiff of corruption if you want to continue serving under this administration,” he said.
Roque commended Duterte for his zero tolerance of corruption as evidenced by his dismissal of Sueno.
“We hope that this latest dismissal will send the message to all that this administration is serious about its anti-corruption agenda,” Roque said.
But Siquijor Rep. Ramon Rocamora lamented the President’s decision, saying Sueno was a good man, who was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.
He said Sueno should have been investigated first before he was fired. With AFP