(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, May 30, fired a Customs deputy commissioner.
The President made the announcement of the dismissal of Noel Patrick Sales Prudente during the condemnation of smuggled luxury vehicles.
He cited Prudente’s alleged excessive travels to Singapore and Europe for his dismissal.
“He is now under investigation by the House. Matagal yang investigation sa House. I will cut short the agony of Congress,” Duterte said.
According to Duterte, the dismissal was “effective today.”
It was Duterte who appointed Prudente to the post left by Gerardo Gambala of the BOC Management Information System Technology Group (MISTG).
Gambala had been implicated in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China last year.
Earlier, Duterte fired government corporate counsel Rudolf Philip Jurado after he issued an opinion to “grant a franchise” to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (Apeco), which he said was tantamount to the lawyer exercising the powers of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The opinion also allowed Apeco to operate even beyond the Aurora Economic Zone for as long as it was operated within the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
“When you are granted a franchise to conduct gambling in a certain facility, it does not include farming out that franchise to other cities and provinces,” the President said.
“Kasi pagka ganun then you can ramble on following your theory, you can ramble on to give permits beyond the shores of Luzon and you can do it in Siasi, Jolo. Kung hindi ka pa naman g___. So you are just like a PAGCOR operating an independent entity with the same powers na you grant everything,” he added.