MANILA, Philippines — From the Cabinet, the purge of officials linked to corruption has been expanded to the lower levels of government, with President Duterte announcing last night the suspension of several government prosecutors, airport Customs officials and other individuals pending their likely ouster from their posts and criminal indictment.
In a press briefing last night after his bilateral meeting with visiting Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Duterte identified the officials from a long list of names.
He said the officials are facing administrative charges after being investigated by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. He expressed hope that the Office of the Ombudsman would conduct a more thorough probe and pursue criminal charges for graft.
“Ay karami nito (There are a lot). I am sorry, but I said do not go into (corruption),” Duterte said as he reiterated his warning that the corruption drive would spare no one, not even his close friends and supporters.
He did not specify the corruption cases imputed on the officials, whom he identified as Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor Sampaco Macabando; Benjamin Lanto, officer-in-charge of the Pasay City prosecutor’s office; and lawyers Ambrosy Bazman, Rohany Bazman and Amiza M. Lumuntod.
Duterte also named inquest prosecutor Clemente Villanueva, assistant prosecutor Florencio de la Cruz; Ramon Anquilan, former Customs district collector at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport; NAIA Customs Intelligence Service head Butch Ledesma; CIS political appointee Adsar Albani and Customs operations officer Lumuntod Macabando.
The President came out with the list, contained in at least two folders of two to five pages each, after he had ordered Moslemen Macarambon Sr. to resign as DOJ assistant secretary and Tingagun Ampaso Umpa as assistant secretary in the Department of Public Works and Highways. Macarambon quit immediately.
“They are now suspended pending investigation,” Duterte said. “For corruption, I will fire or, if I were them, (I would resign). The ombudsman will investigate,” Duterte said.
The President has openly lamented that persons who pushed him to seek the presidency were abusing their offices and engaging in corruption.
He had recently ordered Vitaliano Aguirre Jr. to resign as justice secretary and Wanda Teo as tourism chief amid corruption scandals in their departments.