MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the public to “look for another Marcos” as he admitted he cannot fight corruption solely on the powers vested in him by the Constitution.
Speaking before the 121st anniversary of the Philippine Navy in Sangley Point, Cavite, Duterte lamented the rampant corruption in government, saying that he cannot fulfill his promise to get rid of corruption even with 20 years as president.
“Totoo, sabihin ko nagsisi ako kasi akala ko within the Constitutional powers na ibinigay sa akin, kaya ko. But truth to tell, kung araw-araw na lang pati every table dito sa Pilipinas ganoon, hindi ko talaga mahabol,” Duterte said.
(It’s true, I have regrets because I thought the Constitutional powers are enough. But truth to tell, if it happens every day, I can’t chase it.)
“Kaya ko. Pero sa batas na ito, Constitution, (I can do it but with this Constitution) even if you give me 20 years I cannot do it. Maghanap uli kayo ng Marcos (Find another Marcos). Or someday, somehow, somewhere that fellow will be elected in the generations to come,” he added.
The late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was accused of massive graft and corruption from 1965 to 1986.
The Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG) has managed to recover P170.45 billion (approximately $3.2 billion) of the estimated $5 to $10 billion alleged Marcos ill-gotten wealth.
READ: Where Marcos stashed multibillion loot
READ: Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, ordered arrested
With the perennial problem of red tape and corruption in the government, the President also claimed that the Philippines will never prosper economically.
“Pero kung sabihin mo mag-improve tayo (If you say we can improve) beyond the level that we find ourselves economically, politically, well I’m sorry, I’m telling you hindi dadating ‘yan (it will never happen),” he said.
Duterte has fired several government officials due to allegations of corruption, although he has been criticized for “recycling” people he had sacked by reappointing them to other government posts. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
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