President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on August 2, 2020. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ramp up its efforts against corruption and fraud, and said he wanted fraudsters stabbed for their crooked actions.
Duterte made the statement as he named officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development involved in dishonest and corrupt schemes.
He also warned the public of swindlers using names of government officials including Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Health Secretary Francsisco Duque III for fake “contract purchases.”
“Iyong may mga tao na nag-iikot na sabi nila lalakarin nila, alam mo ang gawain ninyo kung nagbigay na kayo ng pera, purnada talaga kayo kay hindi naman totoo ‘yan. Saksakin na lang ninyo. Saksakin na lang ninyo,” he said in a televised address.
“Huwag mong barilin kasi maingay. Madali kang mahuli. Saksakin na lang ninyo. Wala ‘yan. Ito ‘yung mga parasites, mga linta, and they thrive on the gullible iyong pati ‘yung naive na lolokohin mo ‘yung kapwa mo tao,” he added.
Duterte is known for making vicious threats in his public addresses.
Just last year, he said that quarantine violators should be shot dead by cops.
The government’s recent crackdown on fraudulent officials was due to an order given by Duterte to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to form a task force to look into the entire government for corruption.
The DOJ was given authority to decide which allegations or issues to investigate “taking into consideration the gravity thereof and their impact on the delivery of government service.”
The DOJ may also form as many panels as it deems necessary and invite or direct other government bodies and agencies to assist in the investigation or be part of panels.
Prosecution and filing of appropriate charges against government officials or private individuals found guilty, “as may be warranted by the evidence gathered subject to applicable
laws and rules,” may be done by the DOJ.
Duterte’s directive will remain in effect until his presidency ends on June 30, 2022. John Ezekiel J. Hirro