MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte urged the members of the Congress to reinstate death penalty for heinous crimes related to illegal drugs and plunder.
During his 4th State of the Nation Address on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, Duterte admitted problems of corruption and illegal drugs continue three years in his administration.
“Believe me, I will end my term fighting,” Duterte said. “It has been three years since I took my oath of office and it pains me to say that we have not learned our lesson. The illegal drug problem persists, corruption continues.”
“I am aware that we still have a long way to go against this social menace. The reason why I advocate the imposition of the death penalty for crimes related to illegal drugs,” he added.
Duterte requested to re-impose death penalty, recalling tons of illegal drugs and graft money found after five months of battle in Marawi City led by the Abu Sayyaf group.
In his speeches, the President talked about corruption, where he expressed his disappointment over the alleged misuse of state health insurance funds on “ghost” dialysis treatments.
“The recent uncovering of the massive fraud perpetrated against the public health insurance system proves that corruption is pervasive,” Duterte said. “I am grossly disappointed.”
“The government is conned of millions of pesos which could be used to treat illnesses and possibly save the lives of many,” added Duterte, who ordered Philippine Health Insurance Corporation president Ricardo Morales to rid the agency of corruption.
Duterte urged Filipinos to be assertive when they encounter corrupt officials, urging them to file a report through hotline 8888, which he said is open 24/7.
“Let me ask you. When will corruption end? I don’t know. I’ve been in government for almost 35 years now, I’m not singling out myself. It’s the entire gamut of our system,” Duterte said.
He asked the top five agencies – Land Transportation Office, Social Security System, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Land Registration Authority, and PAG-IBIG – to drastically improve their services.
“I reiterate my directive to the government offices and instrumentalities, including local government units and government corporations: Simplify. Simplify just like the others,” Duterte said.
“I have been asking that from you since three years ago,” he added. “Simplify and make your services responsive to client. Your client is the Filipino, our employer, from where the money in our pockets come from.”
Meanwhile, Duterte praised to the country’s gaming regulator for delivering billions of pesos in revenue to state coffers.
Collections from government owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) reached P61 billion, including P16 billion from PAGCOR or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“My salute to Andrea Domingo,” Duterte said, referring to PAGCOR chairperson. “Our GOCCs, infamous for high salaries and bonuses being paid for their executives and employees have started to shape up.”
Duterte added there was no corruption in the entry of the country’s third telecommunications Dito Telecommunity, composed of Davao tycoon Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and China Telecom.
“Do not worry about us. There is no corruption at all. I guarantee you, upon the grave of my father, I don’t allow. I do not talk to them, I just say, just do your work and kung maaari, according to what the specifications are required by this government,” he said.
“I challenge this new player to fulfill its commitment to provide fast and reliable telecommunications services to our people especially in the underserved areas,” added Duterte./PN
Muni siling ni Atty Budot ay : Ang krimen nga dapat silotan sang bitay amo ang panglugos kag pagpatay sang biltima nga mga babae.
Walo ka estado sa America nagasilot “surgical castration” sa mga nanglugos kag nagpatay sang ila biktima.
CASTRATION OF SEX OFFENDERS in 8 US states : http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/rpt/2006-r-0183.htm