SEOUL – President Duterte yesterday ribbed Energy Secretary Alfredo Cusi over the sudden increase in his net worth from mere P150 million to over P1 billion in 2017.
During his speech at the Filipino community at Grand Hilton convention center, the President noted Cusi’s latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) filed for 2017.
While pointing out Cusi being a billionaire, he praised the secretary for doing his job well.
Cusi is one of the two billionaires in the Cabinet. The other is Public Works secretary Mark Villar.
For 2017, Villar declared his worth at P 1.4 billion while Cusi at P1.3 billion, up from P150 million in the previous year.
It was not the first time Duterte publicly joked Cusi over his SALN.
During the inauguration of the 420-megawatt Pagbilao Power Station Project in Barangay Ibabang Polo in Quezon, the President said Cusi does not even need to work in the Cabinet anymore because he is already rich.
“You know, he used to be at the NAIA, but before that he was really a prosperous businessman,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President apologized for his “harsh language” against Kuwait at the height of his outrage over the killing of Filipina domestic worker Joanna Demafelis whose body was found stuffed in a freezer early this year.
“I’ll go there. I’d like to thank them for understanding us, keeping their faith in us,” he said.
Duterte is grateful that Kuwait heard his pleas for the protection of Filipino workers that was marred with a diplomatic faux paus and later patched up by the crafting of an agreement to protect Filipino domestic workers.