MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has sacked the deputy chief of one of the government’s disaster response offices due to “loss of trust and confidence,”Malacañang announced yesterday.
Duterte has removed Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy administrator Kristoffer James Purisima from his post effective immediately, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Purisima’s functions at the OCD, the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC, includes managing the impact of calamities.
Roque said that President Duterte has finally accepted the resignation of Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr.
Rio has tendered his resignation last January 31 due to “internal issues” after he was allegedly kept out of the loop over how DICT spent P300 million in confidential funds.
“The Palace thanks Usec. Rio for his invaluable services to the nation and we wish him well in all his future endeavors,” Roque said.
Rio on his Facebook post also confirmed President Duterte’s acceptance to his resignation.
“I will not comment anything on the timing of this acceptance, as it may invoke disruptive discussions absolutely not needed in the midst of this pandemic crises, except to express my utmost gratitude to the President for giving me this chance to serve our country under his administration,” Rio said.
“I wish to express also my full confidence on the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in handling the COVID-19 crisis,” he added./PN
