Palace: No one, including friends, to be spared in fight vs corruption, but Duterte still trusts Lapeña
Malacañang assured on Tuesday that no one, including President Rodrigo Duterte's friends, will be spared in the campaign against corruption.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement after the National Bureau of Investigation recommended to the Department of Justice the filing of graft charges against former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña over alleged anomalies in the release of 105 containers of ceramic tiles amounting to about P69 million from China by port operator Asian Terminals Inc. early this year.
"No one, friends or political foes alike, is spared in our fight against corruption," Panelo said.
Lapeña is a known friend of Duterte. Despite the recent controversy over the P11-billion worth of illegal drugs that allegedly slipped past the BOC, Duterte just removed Lapeña from the agency and transferred him to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority as its head, with the rank of secretary.
Former Maritime Industry Authority chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero, a retired military general, replaced Lapeña at the BOC.
Panelo said the NBI has a mandate to fulfill and "its action is proof that the President shall not shield those upon whom a shadow of doubt has been cast."
"Good governance is the hallmark of the Duterte administration and this latest development is a reaffirmation of the President's commitment against all forms of corruption and illegality," he added.
But Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel, said Duterte trusts Lapeña, who is still presumed innocent of the accusations hurled against him as formal charges were yet to be filed.
"Nonetheless, we point out that Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General Isidro Lapeña has the constitutional right to be presumed innocent. Until and unless proven otherwise, he still enjoys the trust and confidence of the appointing authority who happens to be the President," he said.
In a report to the DOJ, the NBI has recommended the filing of charges against Lapeña and unnamed John Does for alleged violation of Sec. 3, Par. (e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and that they should also be charged administratively for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct. Celerina Monte/DMS
