(Eagle News)–The Palace on Wednesday, May 22, stood by President Rodrigo Duterte’s dismissal of then-Food and Drug Administration director-general Nela Charade Puno, saying the chief executive had received “numerous complaints” against her.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the complaints came from doctors, including the President’s own doctor, and from “many sectors.”
He said the Palace was just waiting for the submission of sworn statements which shall be forwarded to the Department of Justice.
Panelo also noted Puno’s dismissal had support from other sectors, with the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines commending the President for the act.
“We fully support your resolute actions at the FDA, including the replacement of its director general, for us to effectively and efficiently conduct commerce that is consistent with your agenda of increasing competitiveness and ease of doing business to fuel human capital and economic development,” PHAP executive director Teodoro Padilla said in the May 17 letter to Duterte.
According to Padilla, these actions merely show the Duterte administration’s “seriousness in its commitment to fight graft and corruption for which we have taken notice and are extremely grateful.”
In a statement issued after her dismissal, Puno said that while she served at the pleasure of the President, she was “clueless” as to what the allegations against her were.
