Duterte believes in Faeldon’s integrity, gives chance for due process

President Rodrigo Duterte is giving Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon a chance to prove his integrity after the Bureau of Customs got in hot water after P6.4-billion worth of shabu from China got past its port examiners.

He told reporters after attending the 113th founding anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue that he would allow due process to take its course in the case of Faeldon.

Duterte made the remarks after indicating just a few months ago that he would fire an official at the "first whiff" of corruption allegations.

"I believe in his integrity. As a matter of fact, he was in Davao four years ago when he was together with some military men, and they were urging me to run," he said.

"The complaint then, as now is that corruption nga. So we will look into it. But I said I would be fair," he added.

But if it was proven that Faeldon was involved in corruption, Duterte said: "Wala na tayong magawa."

In April, Duterte fired then Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno over alleged corruption in a firetruck deal that pushed through anyway.

“Sabi ko the first whiff, ang unang singaw lang, miski hindi totoo, ba-bye tayo. Maraming kapalit sa gobyerno. Hindi tayo nagkulang ng talent, bright, pati iyong honest with integrity,” Duterte said then.

The President also let go of his campaign spokesperson and long-time associate Peter Laviña as the administrator of National Irrigation Administration, also because of corruption allegations. —NB, GMA News