Comment by Prof. Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant
August 15, 2018
There goes Duterte again, doing the same deceptive routine, pretending to be against graft and corruption and likewise pretending to be getting tired of his position.
The truth is that he and his family are very much into graft and corruption, including cutting into infrastructure and casino projects and the large scale smuggling of illegal drugs through Manila, Davao and elsewhere. He got himself to his position by getting money and bailiwick votes from the biggest Luzon-based plunderers like the Marcoses, Gloria M. Arroyo and the Estradas.
It is farthest from the truth that Duterte wants to step down. So long as he can cling to his position, he will do so in order to maximize his power and plunder and to delay his day of trial and reckoning before the International Criminal Court for grave human rights violations such as publicly inciting the police to commit mass murder of poor drug suspects and providing incentives such as presidential protection, impunity and rewards in cash and promotion in rank.###
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Duterte: ‘I’m thinking of stepping down’
By: Julius N. Leonen – Reporter / @JLeonenINQ
INQUIRER.net / 06:43 PM August 14, 2018
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1021233/duterte-im-thinking-of-stepping-down
Updated 7 p.m.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he was thinking of stepping down from power.
In a speech at Malacañang, Duterte admitted that he told the military and the police during a command conference that he was growing tired of chasing corrupt government workers.
“Sinabi ko sa mga sundalo at sa mga pulis: Guys, I want you to know that I am thinking of stepping down because I’m tired,” Duterte said. “I am not angry [with] anybody. My chase against graft and corruption seems to be endless, and it has contaminated almost all government departments and offices.”
On Monday, President Duterte relieved 20 military officials, including top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), over alleged corruption activities such as anomalous and ghost projects at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte has ordered the relief of the officials after “it was brought to the President’s attention that alleged corruption activities have been taking place at the V. Luna Medical Center.”
The President last week fired all board members of Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) over a “grossly disadvantageous” 70-year property lease contract.
The Chief Executive cited the case of Nayong Pilipino leased government property for a [ridiculously] long period of time, 70 years, beyond the lifetime of anyone, and he considered this as a contract which was grossly disadvantageous to the government.
However, this is not the first time that Duterte declared that he would step down from his position.
He earlier promised to resign from office if he fails to end drugs and criminality in three to six months.