“If it was a party, the people were fed,” Duterte says
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday defended Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan over allegations he spent a huge amount of money to hold a party for the agency’s employees.
The President said in a speech at a League of Municipalities of the Philippines general assembly that he used to dismiss cases lodged against individuals who were accused of stealing clothes or food.
“In Balutan’s case … he spent about 4 million for everyone. If it was really a (year-end) party, the people were fed. Okay,” he said.
It was then-recently appointed PCSO Board Member Sandra Cam who accused Balutan of spending too much for the party in December last year.
But Balutan said the P6 million spent for the event was “appropriate.”
“I believe that was the very minimum na puwede natin gamitin sa ating mga empleyado na mahihirap din… They deserve that because billions of pesos ‘yung naiakyat. It’s a morale booster for our employees,” he told a congressional hearing.
