Friendship has ‘limits’: Duterte alludes to axed appointees

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte spoke of "limits" to friendship as he alluded to government officials he has since sacked or "caused to resign" from their posts.

"I have friends and political supporters whom I appointed to public office and then dismissed or caused to resign," Duterte said at the end of the part of his speech where he discussed corruption.

"I need not mention their names or recount the circumstances surrounding their removal or resignation. Media has more than amply reported that," he added.

Duterte has fired at least 20 officials and seen the resignation of at least 19—not all of them his appointees—for various reasons since his term began.

"I value friendship, make no mistake about it. But it has its limits," Duterte said.

"This is a lonely place I am hemmed in. Do not make it lonelier by forcing me to end our friendship because you gave me the reason to end it. It pains me to end—the loss of friendships. And that is why I appeal to you to help me in my cause so that our friendship will endure," he added.

The president has said a "whiff of corruption" would be enough for him to turf out  a government official, but some have remained in their offices despite charges of wrongdoing, and others yet have been re-appointed to new posts. — BM, GMA News