Duterte to put errant government offices under presidential supervision

by Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News, Jun 06 2018

MANILA—President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he will put problematic government offices, which are beyond his jurisdiction, under his personal control.

Duterte made this announcement as he warned criminals “in and out of government” that there will be consequences to their actions.

“Wina-warningan ko kayong mga kriminal nasa gobyerno, nasa labas, I will make radical changes in the days to come,” Duterte said in a press briefing after arriving from Seoul.

“For those offices na hindi ma-kontrol, I will place you in the Office of the President at ako na mismo ang kaharap mo araw-araw.”

(I’m warning those criminals in and out of the government. I will make radical changes in the days to come. For those offices beyond my control, I will place you in the Office of the President so you will have to deal with me everyday.)

The President lamented that there have been too many crimes and he said he will not hesitate to use emergency powers to put things in order.

“Remember that there is no difference between martial law and declaration of national emergency,” he said.

Duterte also warned the public of a military takeover if things go out of hand.

He said, if this happens, no one can guarantee that the military will give its control over government back to civilians.

Duterte won on a platform of eradicating corruption in government and crime.

His critics, however, said his crusade against crime and illegal drugs has cost thousands of lives. They also said the President seems to spare his close allies accused of corruption, even as he has fired many of his appointees on a “whiff of corruption.”