MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he fired Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas in remarks that run counter to Malacañang’s previous statement that the former head of the state-run pension fund had a “graceful exit.”
“I’m dealing it until now. I just fired the president of the GSIS yesterday. I will go for the [Bureau of] Customs again. There will be a lot of dismissals I hope,” Duterte said in a speech during the inauguration of a rice processing complex in Leyte.
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“And I try to really stop the corruption in the higher crust of government,” he added.
In a letter addressed to Duterte, Aranas did not elaborate on his reasons for resigning, stating only that he was quitting with his integrity intact.
Aranas’ departure from GSIS came amid his plan to sell a disputed property in Port Area, Manila occupied by global port and terminal operator International Container Terminal Services Inc.
According to Aranas, ports and gaming tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.’s ICTSI pays rent to the Philippine Ports Authority for the use of the asset — an arrangement that Aranas said did not have any permission from the GSIS.
But Razon disputed Aranas’ plan, arguing the GSIS only has a “naked title” of the property.
GSIS said it tried to reach out to the PPA and ICTSI over the land dispute, but instead found the legality of its title questioned.
The GSIS board has rescinded the planned sale of the Port Area lot and accepted Aranas’ resignation. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral