ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday offered cash incentives ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 to tipsters of “ghost projects” in the government in a bid to further his administration’s bid against corruption.
Duterte earlier lashed out against public works officials involved in “ghost projects” or unaudited substandard projects, which he said was a racket among erring executives.
“Ngayon, ang usapan ko na lang — pakiusapan ko na lang ‘yung lahat. Kayong walang mga trabaho, kayong mga casual ilang taon na, all you have to do is to let me know and may prize ako. Pagka mayroon kang malaki, if it’s a malaking sindikato, ghost project ni director p***** ina, I will — I will give you 50,000. Ibulong mo lang, maski sino,” he told Cabinet members on Tuesday.
“‘Pag malaking mga contract, huwag mo nang sabihin pangalan mo. Ibulong mo lang na niluluto ‘yan, I’ll give you 100,000 and I will keep your identity secret until I reach my grave. Hindi ko kayo bubukuhin, hindi ko kayo ipapasubo,” he added.
Duterte also threatened those who would harass whistleblowers, saying he would deal with them personally.
“I will deal with the devil. Iyan ang gusto ko, bumaril ng tao na legal. Kaya kung inaano ka, tinatakot ka, paalamin mo ako. I’d be happy to — I would be happy to make you happy,” he said.
Duterte earlier ordered an audit of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ projects “to determine if they are ghost projects or not.”
He called on officials involved in these projects to vacate their posts immediately.
““I advise you to resign now. Resign now kasi pagdating ng panahon, I will throw the book at you, even the kitchen sink, at saka makita ninyo you will be prosecuted administratively and criminally at walang patawaran dito,” he said. John Ezekiel J. Hirro