Says Duterte is giving “mixed signals” in placing officials he had removed from office to other higher gov’t posts

(Eagle News) – Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s actions of transferring government officials he had removed from office to other government posts, especially higher ones.

Aquino was reacting to President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, where the President stressed how the war against corruption is something that he would continue to increasingly wage.

But Aquino, in an exclusive interview by Eagle News Service, expressed doubts that President Duterte was serious in this war against corruption.

“Nagtatanong yung iba. Tinanggal mo kasi nawalan ka na ng tiwala tapos ipupuesto mo sa ibang lugar? May ibang instances pa hindi sya ok dito, tapos ilalagay mo sa mas mataas na puwesto (Others are asking. You removed someone because you lost trust in him, and then you will place him in another post? In other instances, if he is not ok here, he will be placed in an even higher position),” the former President noted.

“So kung nawalan ka ng tiwala sa mas mababang puesto, siguro mas mawawalan ka ng tiwala na ipagkaloob yung mas mataas na puesto. Isa yan (So if you lost trust in him when he was in a lower post, maybe you will not trust him enough to place him in a higher post. That is one),” he said.

Aquino recalled that during his time, he frequently reminded his then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to file cases against those involved in corruption or any anomaly.

He said that due process should always be observed in the filing of cases.

“Nung panahon ko kasi, parati kong pinapaalala kay Leila, at sa ating mga law enforcement agencies, pero pangunahin lay Laila, hindi natin ambisyon na magkaso lang sa isang tao. Kung meron talagang ginawang kasalanan, number 1, meron dapat due process. Dapat imbestigahan nang tama (During my time, I always reminded Leila and our law enforcement agencies, but mostly Leila, that it is not our ambition to just file cases against someone. If he really did something wrong, number 1, there should be due process. It should be investigated properly).” Aquino said.

Aquino said the proof that they have succeeded is if they were able to get a conviction from the courts.

“Ang talagang susi kung nagtagumpay tayo o hindi ay kung nakulong (The key if we really succeeded or not is if [the person] was placed behind bars),” he said.

During his term, Aquino said that he had also felt exasperation with the slow process of the courts, and that maybe he could have done more “radical” changes then.

But he said for him it was useless to shame someone publicly

More important, he said, is that those who violated the law are put behind bars.

“Simpleng simple lang. Walang silbi kung ipapahiya mo ito sa araw na ito, pero may silbi na kapag may ginawa kang mali ay garantisado makukulong ka. Yung ang hinabol natin (It’s very simple. It is useless to shame [someone] today, but what matters is that if you did something wrong, you will surely be behind bars. That was what we were aiming for), ” he said.

Aquino said that the present administration’s actions on the war against corruption give “confusing” messages.

“Siguro nakakagulo sa mensahe, kung sisibakin tapos ipupuesto uli. Sa akin ganun e (Maybe it’s confusing the message, if you axe someone then he will be posted in another position),” he said.

“Simple lang ang mundo ko e, may tiwala ako o wala. Hindi puedeng… mahirap yata yung may tiwala ako sa iyo dito, pero wala akong tiwala sa iyo dyan (My world is simple — either I have trust in you or I do not. It would be difficult if I have trust in you here, but I don’t trust you there),” Aquino explained.

“Pati ikaw maguguluhan ka na, itong mga taong ito saan ko ba puedeng ipuesto ang mga ito? Baka dito puede, dito hindi ko puedeng ilagay. Parang nagpapahirap ka yata ng buhay nun (Even you will get confused where to place these people. It seems you are making life difficult that way),” he added.