Malacañang has designated Undersecretary Catalino Cuy as officer-in-charge of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) pending the appointment of a new secretary.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Cuy’s designation to temporarily lead the DILG took effect immediately following the dismissal of Secretary Mike Sueno.
“Usec Cuy will hold the position to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of services of the Department until the President appoints a new Secretary,” Abella said.
President Duterte earlier fired Sueno due to loss of trust and confidence following allegations of corruption and other abuses.
Duterte explained that he lost his temper during the Cabinet meeting last Monday when Sueno feigned ignorance about his own office’s legal opinion on the alleged anomalous fire truck deal from Austria. Duterte was displeased with Sueno’s explanation “because it was really a plain lie.”
“If you answer me with that kind of statement that you never read the legal opinion of the legal officer of your own office, it’s either you’re taking me for a stupid, an idiot or you are lying to your teeth,” Duterte said before a gathering at the Metro Manila Development Authority in Makati City last Tuesday.
“So I said, ‘you’re fired.’ I just simply said, ‘you’re fired,’” Duterte said.
Sueno has denied the corruption allegations hurled against him.
The President, meantime, warned anew government officials against engaging in corrupt practices or else risk getting fired too.
He said he would not hesitate to dismiss a government worker if he discovers any “whiff of corruption.”
“When I deal with the people of government, I draw the line. You either go or I go but we cannot stay together. I have said there will be no corruption in my government,” he said.
source: mb.com.ph
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