MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said former Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president Jesus Clint Aranas was fired from his position due to corruption.
Duterte on Friday said the move was part of his campaign promise.
“I promised little, I did not make any grandiose or… sinabi ko lang kapag nanalo ako I will deal with corruption. I am dealing with it until now. I just fired the GSIS president,” Duterte said.
Aranas’ departure came after the Commission on Audit ordered GSIS to refund P260-million in incentives to its employees, which were allegedly released without authority from the Office of the President and the Department of Budget Management.
Duterte’s statement contradicted the claim of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier this week that Aranas tendered his resignation and was not sacked.
“The President just accepted the resignation,” Panelo said. “No reason. Kasi the person which submitted the resignation letter states the reason why he is resigning. He said for personal reasons. I don’t think we can dwell on the privacy of the person.”
Aranas said he will leave GSIS without having once compromised his integrity.
“I resign secure in the knowledge that I have unwaveringly advanced the interest of GSIS and its members in discharging the functions of the said office always in obeisance to all the laws and never once compromising my integrity or that of the office I now relinquish,” said Aranas./PN
