Roque: Duterte has found evidence linking resigned DOLE exec to graft

Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the resignation of Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say, saying President Rodrigo Duterte has found evidence linking the former government official to graft.

“I think it was good for him to have resigned, because I know for a fact that the President already has evidence indicating possibility of graft involvement as far as Usec. Say is concerned,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told ANC.

Roque added the graft issue against Say “had something to do with relations with labor recruiters.”

"To be candid, if Usec. Say did not resign he would have been fired [due to corruption the President knows about]," the Palace official said at a news conference.

"I have personal knowledge that if the resignation was not submitted he would have been fired. I was told already that he's the next on the chopping block. But I was awaiting orders when to announce it. I did not have to announce it because he resigned."

The President has been bringing down the ax on high-ranking officials and heads of offices accused of corruption and abuse of power. On Tuesday, Duterte said he has fired another “set of high officials” due to alleged corruption but he did not identify them.

Say, whose resignation was received by the Palace on Tuesday, has said he quit his post supposedly to spare Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III from criticism that the latter is siding with employers on the issue of contractualization.

Putting an immediate end to unjust contractualization was among Duterte's campaign promises when he ran for office in 2016.

The Palace had said the President may sign the executive order on contractualization on or before Labor Day, May 1. —KG, GMA News