Warns LGU officials not distributing food items, financial assistance to constituents
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said he will suspend and even detain corrupt local government officials who are not distributing food, financial assistance, and other essential items to their constituents, but are instead hoarding them and taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis.
The 75-year old Philippine leader gave the warning to the LGU officials and other government officials who are not only doing their jobs, but are profiting from this.
“Ngayon, sa mga tao na binigyan ng —– people tasked of distributing the money, distributing the food, distributing the relief goods, kindly do it. I use the word ‘to a T’. Kung hindi ninyo naintindihan ‘yan, mag-research kayo. Pero talagang ‘pag nagkamali kayo dito, hindi ko kayo palusutin,” Duterte said in his address to the nation late Monday night, March 30.
“I will see to it even tomorrow, if I discover some embezzlements, some hoarding there, at dina-divert ‘yung pagkain sa mga tao na dapat hindi sa kanila, you better think. I am not a cruel man. Pero kung may report ang pulis, I will order your detention hanggang matapos itong COVID-19,”he warned.
President Duterte said that he would immediately order the detention of officials taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Sabi ko huwag ngayon. Huwag na huwag kayong mandaya, mangurakot at taguin ‘yung mga pagkain at ‘yung iba hindi bigyan kasi… You know, people sometimes think that they own whatever they receive from government. This is not yours, neither is it mine,” he said.
Duterte said that officials who would pocket money supposed to be given to the people would be detained while the crisis is ongoing. They would only be released once the quarantine period is over.
“Pero kung mamulitika ka tapos mabalitaan ko na ‘yan ang nagawa mo, I will suspend you ora mismo. And for those who are really absconding the money, I will detain you, I said; and maybe I will release you pagkatapos ng COVID,” he stressed.
“Hindi ako nananakot,” he added.
-Lorenzana, Año, Galvez tasked to ensure compliance of directives-
The President assured that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) would look into reports of anomalies in the distribution of food packs and even financial assistance.
He said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Carlito Galvez Jr, the “chief implementer” of the government’s national policy against COVID-19, would look into the failures of the system, particularly any anomalies in giving allowances to the country’s health workers.
“Huwag kayong matakot ngayon. Huwag na huwag kayong matakot kasi sabi ko may pera ako at kung meron man ang palpak-palpak diyan kaunti, ayusin namin ‘yan. Ayusin ni Lorenzana ‘yan, the implementor, pati ni Año sa DILG, at itong si Galvez ho. Puro military na ‘yan sila,” Duterte said.
“At as a matter of fact ganito, lahat ng kontribusyon, lahat, ibigay mo doon sa opisina na set up ng Task Force. At may — kung may releases man, lahat, accounted ‘yan tapos then there’s another audit in the integrity of the procedure. ‘Yan lang po,” he said.
Duterte thanked all the frontliners risking their lives to make sure that the COVID-19 does not spread any further. At the same time, he warned those involved in anomalies.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng trabahante ng gobyernong nandiyan. At ako naman po’y at the same time nagbibigay ng warning: Totohanan ko talaga kayo. Sa crisis tapos gawin mo pa ‘yang… Dapat ka talagang ikulong. Hindi kita irelease. Hindi ako maniwala ng kaso-kaso. Hayaan mo magpapa-preso ako balang araw kung mali ang sinabi ko at ginawa ko,” the President said.
(Eagle News Service)
