Duterte to fire urban poor body officials over ‘unnecessary trips’

President Rodrigo Duterte wants the officials of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) fired, Malacañang said on Monday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque initially said in a briefing that Duterte wanted the body abolished because of some of its officials' unnecessary junkets and for failing to meet as a collegial body.

But he issued a clarification later that Duterte does not intend to abolish the commission.

"With sincerest regrets I would like to correct the statement I made on the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) during this morning’s press briefing. It is to fire, and not to abolish the Commission," he said.

"He will fire all [commissioners] of PCUP and not abolish," he said in a text message to reporters.

Roque earlier said that Duterte told him to reveal the commission he wanted abolished.

"The President has also asked me to identify the commission he intends to abolish: the Presidential Commission [for the] Urban Poor. And the President stated two grounds behind his decision to abolish the commission," he said.

"Number one, it is, according to him, a collegial body, and they have not met as a collegial body. Number two, the commissioners are notorious for junkets abroad. This kind of work performance has no place in the Duterte administration," he added.

However, the written memorandum on the commission's abolition is not yet issued, Roque said.

PCUP's current chairman is former Kabataan party-list representative Terry Ridon.

Roque said abolishing the commission is not related to Ridon's association with the left.

“We reiterate we are serious about the drive against corruption in government and this latest decision of the President to abolish the PCUP – the PCUP among others for unnecessary junkets of its officials prove beyond doubt that the President is very serious in his anti-corruption campaign,” he said.

Duterte had announced last Friday that he will fire an entire commission.

"Wala akong pakialam kung nakisali dalawa, tatlo, you have to go out. Because I do not think it will exist without your knowledge at bakit hanggang... Wala akong patawad-tawad," he added.

He said during the 84th anniversary celebration of the Department of Labor and Employment in Malolos, Bulacan that one official traveled out of the country six times since September.

He reminded government workers that he didn't allow extravagance funded by taxpayers' money.

"Corruption is really pulling us down," Duterte said.

Ridon has yet to respond to GMA News Online's request for comment.

Aside from Ridon and the PCUP, Duterte had fired at least two officials over allegations of going on junkets. They are former Interior secretary Ismael Sueno and former Dangerous Drugs Board chief Dionisio Santiago.

Represented PHL urban poor in int’l forums

Ridon in a text message to reporters thanked Duterte for the opportunity to serve the country. He also said that the PCUP gave voice to the urban poor in international forums.

“We had represented [the] government and given voice to the urban poor in international conferences on public housing, poverty alleviation and climate change, which was unprecedented in any administration,” he said.

He sid the PCUP performed its mandate with integrity.

“The public record of the agency can speak for itself: we had implemented with full integrity the presidential promise of no demolition without relocation,” he said.

“We performed our mandate to the best of our abilities, with integrity and competence, despite the heavy burden of undertaking genuine reform,” he added. —ALG, GMA News