Duterte vows to resign  if proven accepting bribes

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday offered to resign if anyone could produce a witness who could prove he accepted bribes while in government.

In his televised weekly address to the nation, Duterte said he would also ask Cabinet officials to resign if proven they were involved in corruption.

“Now, maraming haka-haka diyan na kaming mga Cabinet members, ako tumatanggap ng pera saan. Look, I give you this guarantee. Magdala ka lang ng tao at sabihin mo nagbigay siya ng piso sa amin, mag- resign ko bukas (Now there are speculations that Cabinet members and I have accepted money. Look, I give you this guarantee, bring a person who will say he gave us bribes, I will resign tomorrow). Just one person, one affidavit,” Duterte said.

This is not the first time that Duterte offered to step down from his post. He made the same offer in the past out of frustration with the drug crisis and corruption in the government.

In October, the President ordered an inter-agency task force led by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to investigate corruption in the entire government.

He has given the task force until June 30, 2022, which is the last day of his term, to eradicate corruption in the government.

Duterte also previously urged the public to report corruption in government agencies and give helpful information, saying tipsters would be rewarded with money.

But the President, in the same public address on Monday, threatened to kill anyone who would make false corruption allegations against him and his Cabinet.

He said they should tell the truth, not spread lies about him and other government officials merely to destroy their reputation.

In the past, Duterte has also defended some of his Cabinet officials over graft allegations.

More than once, the President vouched for Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd after the Cabinet official was accused of being allegedly involved in anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Duterte also cleared Public Works Secretary Mark Villar of any involvement in illegal activities, after senators flagged around P345.25-billion in lump sum lodged in the his department’s proposed 2021 budget and revealed that some lawmakers and officials of the department allegedly asked for “kickbacks” from contractors that win projects from the agency.

At present, the President remained confident that his Cabinet members were “all honest.”