PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said over the weekend that he has fired two more government officials due to corruption and vowed to sack any government employee trying to extort money from the public.
“The other day, I fired two – one [is an] undersecretary,” Duterte said in a speech in Legazpi City, Albay, without identifying the officials.
The President said the two officials made applicants return to their offices multiple times—making them susceptible to offering bribes.
“Do not go into asking them for extortion. I will fire you immediately,” Duterte said. “Dismissal. I do not have the tolerance for stupidity and corruption.”
The President offered advice on how to deal with government workers who tried to extort money from them.
“If they go to you, the BIR, Customs, the police or whoever, and they ask for money, slap them,” he said in Filipino.
“You tell them, son of a bitch, I’ve already paid you. Why do I have to pay you again now?”
Duterte urged the public to use the government’s 888 anti-corruption hotline to report such officials.
The President also told government officials to be polite to the public.
“Be courteous to your employers, because they are the ones paying our salaries,” Duterte said.
“We are workers of government, and we are mandated to serve the public. Then you have to be courteous and protect the money of the people.”
Duterte has said that he would fire any official on the mere “whiff or whisper” of corruption.