DU30 warns Cabinet men

President Duterte issued last Friday the sternest warning yet against non-performers in his Cabinet saying he will not hesitate to dismiss officials who waste taxpayers’ money.

“So I would like to call the attention of the secretaries, especially Secretary (Mark) Villar, that if there is any slippage of any work of any kind by the national government, if you delay or if I see tomorrow, beginning tomorrow…you are all invited to see me in Malacañang,” he said in a speech in Davao City.

The President issued the warning amid growing public discontent on the worsening vehicle traffic jams caused by the simultaneous constructions of roads and other infrastructures.

The Chief Executive himself noted most of road projects have not been completed on time and are always the subjects of graft and corruption allegations.

“Every program of the government ends up in an investigation,” he said.

Duterte said he will hold his Cabinet officials accountable for any irregularities.

“I have fired so many. I’ve committed sins, faults (I have) plenty but this I can tell you, money (was) never an issue. That’s why I’m saying this. I’m exacting now something like this: if your project gets skewed, I will hold the secretary responsible,” he said.

“If there is delay or slippage, they call it and it is about 20 percent, you are out. I will cancel the contract. Lahat gusto ko (I want everything to be) under a Swiss challenge.

Swiss challenge, you produce the bridge and I will pay you. If you do not publish it in accordance with the specs, as my specifications, I will not pay you,” the President said.

A Swiss challenge is a procurement process in which an unsolicited bid is opened for other proponents to match or to submit a better offer.

The President lamented that most projects, even those involving highway acquisition or easements to widen the shoulders of the road, end up in corruption.

“So I said, if they do not cut on corruption, we will never, never improve,” he said.

Mr. Duterte, likewise, challenged the public to take legal action against the government over accidents from “unlighted, uncovered” infrastructure.

“It’s almost nonchalant so make it a criminal issue. Pag nahulog ka diyan, nabunggo ka kasi (If you fall or crash due to it because it’s) unlighted, uncovered, you sue the government. Siguradong manalo kayo diyan (You will surely win the case),” he said.

“Sue the government and I will sue the supervisor and maybe ask the secretary, ‘kindly explain to me why it has come to this situation,’” he said.

Mr. Duterte vowed he would immediately act on complaints on graft and corruption.

“If it is something that ails, that bugs you because it involves graft and corruption or [if the] government is not doing what it’s supposed to do, just bring it to my attention and I will act on it immediately, especially if it involves corruption,” he said.

To disprove his critics who claim he intends to hold on to power beyond his term, Mr. Duterte also challenged the Consultative Committee (ConCom) reviewing the 30-year-old Constitution and Congress to oversee the election of a new President during the transition period to a federal government, even ahead of the expiration of his term.

“Those in the opposition, they’re so engrossed every time they look at the proposal (amending the) Constitution, (they’d say) ‘Duterte will make it longer for him to stay in power,’” he said in a speech in Davao City.

The President said he would ask Puno (Reynato) to make a “correction” in the draft Federal Charter to include his suggestion that his term expires once the Federal Constitution takes effect.

“And I would like Congress to approve it,” he said.

“Make me stop being President during the transition. In other words, elect a President before you make the transition from unitary to federal. I would be willing to accept the proposal. And that’s coming from me,” Duterte said.

The President, whose term ends in 2022, scoffed at his critics while inviting Vice President Leni Robredo to take his place “if she’s interested in it.”

“Robredo, if you want, (it) depends (on you), you can have it. You can have it if you want. That’s my answer to you,” he said.

“So I urge Congress and the Puno committee to make the final changes. Make me President only (until) next year, 2019 and I will accept it,” Duterte said.