Patuloy na idinideklara ng baguhang senador na si Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go ang pangako ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na sugpuin ang katiwalian sa gobyerno ngunit lagi niyang hindi binabanggit ang mga pagkakasalungatan sa kampanya ng administrasyon laban sa graft and corruption.
PAHAYAG
Sa isang press release noong Hulyo 4, sinabi ni Go, ang dating special assistant ng pangulo, na “walang sinumang pinaliligtas” si Duterte sa laban sa katiwalian. Sa oath-taking ng mga bagong nahalal na opisyal sa Lanao del Sur, sinabi niya:
“Halos linggo-linggo may sinisipa siya, kahit na mga tumulong sa kanya noong kampanya.”
Pinagmulan: Kuya Bong Go, Bong Go seeks to solve housing woes in Marawi, asks Lanao del Sur officials to fight corruption, Hulyo 4, 2019
Maraming beses nang paulit-ulit na sinabi ni Go ang salaysay na ito. Noong Pebrero, sinabi niya na ang administrasyong Duterte “ay hindi kukunsintihin ang mga tiwaling opisyal ng gobyerno.” Pagkalipas ng isang buwan, sinabi niya na ang pangulo ay “makikipaghiwalay” sa mga tiwaling opisyal, kahit na ang mga tumulong sa kanyang kampanya.
ANG KATOTOHANAN
Habang ang pangulo ay totoong “nakipaghiwalay” sa ilang mga opisyal, kabilang ang kanyang mga hinirang, kasunod ng mga paratang ng korapsyon, wala namang sinabi si Go tungkol sa ilan sa kanila na muling itinalaga at / o inilipat lamang sa ibang mga puwesto sa gobyerno.
Kabilang sa pinakahuling reappointees ni Duterte ay ang dalawang opisyal na nasangkot sa dalawang magkahiwalay na kontrobersya ng smuggling ng droga noong 2017 at 2018.
Si retired military colonel Allen Capuyan ay apat na beses nang itinalaga ni Duterte sa posisyon sa kabila ng pagdawit sa kanya sa smuggling ng P6.4-bilyong halaga ng methamphetamine hydrochloride o shabu mula sa China na nakalampas sa Bureau of Customs (BOC) noong 2017. Nagbitiw si Capuyan bilang assistant general manager ng Manila International Airport Authority noong Marso 2018, isang “future career move,” sa gitna ng kontrobersyal na smuggling, ngunit muling naitalaga bilang Presidential Adviser on Indigenous Peoples’ Concerns makalipas lamang ang isang buwan. Muli siyang na-reassign bilang executive director ng National Secretariat of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict noong Marso 2019, at muli bilang pinuno ng National Commission on Indigenous Peoples noong Hunyo 2019.
Si Vener Baquiran, dating district collector ng Manila International Container Port (MICP), ay muling itinalaga ni Duterte sa kabila ng pagkakasibak matapos makapuslit sa port noong 2018 ang P11-bilyong halaga ng shabu na nakatago sa mga magnetic lifters. Siya ay muling inatasan bilang BOC deputy commissioner noong Marso 2019.
Si Baquiran ay kabilang sa mga opisyal na inirekomenda ng Department of Justice para sa paunang imbestigasyon ng Office of the Ombudsman noong Abril dahil sa dereliction of duty, grave misconduct, at pagkabigo na ipatupad ang parusa sa mga opisyal na sangkot sa insidente ng smuggling sa MICP.
Ang muling pagkakatalaga ni Duterte sa mga sinibak o nagbitiw na mga opisyal dahil sa umano’y katiwalian ay napansin na noong Abril sa fact check ng University of the Philippines Journalism Department para sa Tsek.ph at maraming iba pang mga ulat sa balita.
Narito ang isang listahan ng mga opisyal na naiulat na nag-resign o pinatalsik dahil sa mga alegasyon ng korapsyon ngunit muling hinirang ni Duterte:
Kapansin-pansin na maraming mga opisyal na sinibak ni Duterte ang hindi nasasampahan ng kaso. Halimbawa, si Ismael Sueno, dating Interior Secretary ni Duterte, na mismong ang pangulo ang nagtanggal noong Abril 2017 dahil sa sinasabing katiwalian, ay hindi pa opisyal na kinakasuhan. Itinanggi ni Sueno ang mga akusasyon.
Sa pakikipanayam sa VERA Files noong Hulyo 10, ipinaliwanag ni Interior and Local Government Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya kung bakit hindi naghahabla si Duterte:
“Ang style (istilo) niya is (ay) iyong pagtanggal sa iyo sa puwesto unceremoniously (na pabigla-bigla at walang galang) at nalaman ng lahat na you were fired for corruption is already enough punishment for you (ikaw ay nasibak dahil sa katiwalian ay sapat nang parusa para sa iyo).”
Gayunman, nilinaw ng Malaya na ang “istilo” ni Duterte ay hindi pumipigil sa iba pang mga tanggapan, tulad ng Office of the Ombudsman, na magsampa ng kaso laban sa mga nagkasalang opisyal.
Humingi ang VERA Files sa Ombudsman ng listahan ng mga opisyal na nahaharap sa mga kaso sa korte matapos na masibak ni Duterte dahil sa umano’y katiwalian. Wala pang tugon mula ang tanggapan nang matapos isulat ang ulat na ito.
Sinabi ni Duterte, sa kanyang 2017 State of the Nation Address, na hindi niya palalampashin kahit na “bulung-bulungan” lamang ng katiwalian:
“Isang taon na ang nakalilipas, binalaan ko rin ang mga opisyal at empleyado ng gobyerno na hinding-hindi ko pahihintulutan ang katiwalian sa aking administrasyon, kahit na bulung-bulungan nito. Hayaan ang pagsibak sa maraming mga opisyal na may mataas na ranggo – na ako mismo ang naghirang – ang magsilbing babala sa lahat na hindi ko kailanman pababayaan ang aking pangako na linisin ang pamahalaan … ”
Pinagmulan: RTVMalacañang, 2017 State of the Nation Address, Hulyo 24, 2017, panoorin mula 1:55:11 hanggang 1:55:38
Mga Pinagmulan
Kuya Bong Go, Bong Go seeks to solve housing woes in Marawi, asks Lanao del Sur officials to fight corruption, July 4, 2019
Kuya Bong Go, Report Corrupt Officials to the Truth and Justice Coalition, Feb. 8, 2019
Kuya Bong Go, Bong Go Vowed to Continue PRRD’s Campaign against Illegal Drugs, Crime, and Corruption, March 6, 2019
RTVM, 2017 State of the Nation Address, July 24, 2017
Jonathan Malaya, Personal Interview, July 10, 2019
Allen Capuyan
- Rappler.com, Allen Capuyan appointed indigenous peoples’ commission chairman, June 4, 2019
- CNN Philippines, Controversial ex-colonel named new IP commission chair, June 4, 2019
- Philippine News Agency, Capuyan assumes IP body chairmanship, June 14, 2019
- Philippine News Agency, Palace defends Capuyan appointment to anti-insurgency office, April 1, 2019
- Manila Bulletin, Duterte names Capuyan as head of anti-insurgency office, March 31, 2019
- Inquirer.net, Palace defends posting of ex-colonel linked to drug smuggling, April 2, 2019
- Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Allen Capuyan is the new presidential adviser on indigenous peoples, April 23, 2018
- ABS-CBN News, ‘Hello, Big Brother’: Ex-ISAFP officer named pres’l adviser on indigenous peoples, April 23, 2018
- GMA News Online, MIAA assistant general manager Allen Capuyan resigns, March 14, 2018
- Department of Transportation official Facebook page, READ: March 14, 2018, March 18, 2018
Vener Baquiran
- Senate of the Philippines, What a Mess: A Dumping Ground of Garbage and Drugs, May 29, 2019
- Rappler.com, Back in Customs: Sacked MICP district collector is new deputy commissioner, May 25, 2019
- ABS-CBN News, Sacked Manila port official, 2 ex-generals are new Customs deputy chiefs, May 25, 2019
- Business Mirror, DOJ indicts ex-PDEA deputy, 7 others for shabu smuggling, April 18, 2019
- Inquirer.net, DOJ files charges vs Fajardo, Acierto, 6 others, April 18, 2019
- Philstar.com, Eduardo Acierto, 2 others charged over shabu shipments, April 18, 2019
Melissa Avancena Aradanas, Joan Lagunda, and Manuel Serra Jr.
- ABS-CBN News, Duterte fires urban poor commission officials due to ‘misdeeds’, Dec. 12, 2017
- Manila Bulletin, Duterte orders firing of urban poor commission officials, Dec. 13, 2017
- Rappler.com, Duterte to fire all execs of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Dec. 12, 2017
Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña
- Presidential Communications Operations Office, From the Presidential Spokesperson — On the non-renewal of SSS commissioner Jose Gabriel La Viña, Feb. 17, 2018
- Presidential Communications Operations Office, Speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the Oath Taking of Newly-Appointed Officials, Feb. 13, 2018
- ABS-CBN News, The President’s ‘termite’: Duterte’s ex-social media strategist gets 3rd gov’t post, June 8, 2018
- GMA News Online, DOT exec Pompee La Viña transferred to DA, June 7, 2018
- Inquirer.net, Duterte transfers DOT exec to DA, June 7, 2018
Nicanor Faeldon
- Presidential Communications Operations Office, From the Presidential Spokesperson – On the Ombudsman’s Fact-Finding Investigation, May 2, 2018
- Office of the Ombudsman, Ombudsman completes fact-finding investigation on Faeldon, et al. on P6.4B shabu smuggling case, May 2, 2018
- ABS-CBN News, Faeldon takes oath as new BuCor chief, Nov. 21, 2018
- Rappler.com, Duterte finally signs Faeldon’s appointment as BuCor Chief, Nov. 20, 2018
- Inquirer.net, Duterte officially appoints Faeldon as BuCor chief, Nov. 21, 2018
- Senate of the Philippines, Senate Committee Report No. 168, Oct. 24, 2017
Milo Maestrecampo and Gerardo Gambala
- Manila Bulletin, Customs official gives up post, Aug. 8, 2017
- Interaksyon, Customs execs, forced to quit amid shabu mess, appointed by Duterte to DOTr, Nov. 10, 2017
- ABS-CBN News, Customs official quits amid corruption allegation, Aug. 8, 2017
- ABS-CBN News, Customs deputy commissioner Gambala nagbitiw sa puwesto, Oct. 10, 2017
- GMA News Online, Customs exec Gambala resigns, Oct. 10, 2017
- UNTV, BOC Dep. Comm. Gerardo Gambala resigns from post, Oct. 10, 2017
- CNN Philippines, [EXCLUSIVE] DOTr chief on appointment of disgraced Customs officials: My concern is future performance, Nov. 10, 2017
- Philippine News Agency, Gambala, Maestrecampo lead new batch of Duterte appointees, Nov. 10, 2017
- Inquirer.net, 2 ex-rebel soldiers get new DOTr posts after BOC, Nov. 11, 2019
- Senate.gov.ph, CORRUPTION IN BOC HAS ALLOWED THE ENTRY OF SHABU SHIPMENT – GORDON, Aug. 2, 2018
- Rappler.com, Gordon panel want wants charges against Faeldon, 4 others over P6.4-B smuggled shabu, Oct. 11, 2017
- Inquirer.net, Senate panel wants criminal raps vs Faeldon, et al. over P6.4B shabu shipment, Oct. 10, 2017
Ismael Sueno
- ABS-CBN News, Duterte recounts how he fired Sueno, April 4, 2017
- Inquirer.net, Rejections and dismissals: Duterte’s ever-changing ‘rainbow’ Cabinet, Dec. 26, 2017
- Rappler.com, Duterte’s fight vs corruption: 20 sacked execs face no charges, May 4, 2018
- Department of Interior and Local Government, Sueno: I respect the President’s decision, but I am not corrupt, April 4, 2017
List of Duterte’s appointees
- Rappler.com, LIST: No to corruption? Duterte’s controversial reappointees, June 11, 2018
- Rappler.com, Duterte’s fight vs corruption: 20 sacked execs face no charges, May 4, 2018
- GMA News Online, Sacking of appointees episodes continue to stalk Duterte after past SONA, July 19, 2019
- ABS-CBN News, Duterte and the company he keeps, July 21, 2018
- Interaksyon, Cycle of firing and hiring: Duterte’s record of reappointments, June 21, 2018
- Inquirer.net, Rejections and dismissals: Duterte’s ever-changing ‘rainbow’ Cabinet, Dec. 26, 2017
- South China Morning Post, Is Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte tough on corruption? Not for the slew of fired officials that he rehired, July 5 2018
(Ginagabayan ng code of principles ng International Fact-Checking Network sa Poynter, ang VERA Files ay sumusubaybay sa mga maling pahayag, flip-flops, nakaliligaw na mga pahayag ng mga pampublikong opisyal at kilalang personalidad, at pinasisinungalingan ang mga ito gamit ang tunay na ebidensya. Alamin ang inisyatibong ito at aming pamamaraan.)
Read other interesting stories:
Click thumbnails to read related articles.
