“Kasuhan mo mga ‘yan [Sue them].”
This was President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s marching orders to newly installed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Martin Diño, who brought to the Chief Executive’s attention a number of spurious transactions he uncovered.
“They keep on saying President Duterte wants change. Yes, and he told me to change SBMA and go after grafters who enriched themselves for six years,” Diño vowed.
When asked to cite some of these deals that reeked of graft, Dino replied: “Marami at magugulat kayo [There are plenty and you’ll be surprised.”]
“There’s this one transaction under the previous administration wherein P50 million were spent for CCTVs [closed circuit television] which you could not see anywhere around SBMA. Where did the CCTVs go?” he pointed out.
According to Diño, who was very instrumental in the presidency of Duterte for substituting the latter as a presidential candidate, the president stressed that he should not waste time and promptly deal with grafters and to file charges against anyone involved.
Diño said the conversation between him and the president transpired during the ground breaking of the Bicol Airport last Thursday.
Among the issues discussed was the confusion on the appointment of OIC Administrator Randy Escolango, whose papers were signed only by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea last October 19. Diño said Duterte was not even aware of Escolango’s designation.”He [President] asked [special assistant to the president Christopher] Bong Go what it is all about and instructed him [Go] to iron things out,” Dino averred.
Diño suspected that money could have changed hands surrounding Escolango’s appointment, noting that the official himself has been bragging about the certainty of his appointment in exchange for “P5 million.”
Diño said he will find out if the allegation was true and if it were, unmask the officials who may have been involved.
Prior to becoming OIC Administrator in October, Escolango served as the deputy administrator for legal affairs.
