Peter Laviña (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — National Irrigation Administration head Peter Laviña denied that he has asked money from NIA contractors.
“I have been vilified in the past; my name used, abused and maligned. Recently, there had been efforts to discredit me again. There are rumors circulating that I have asked money from NIA contractors. These are not true!” Laviña said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of Irrigation Peter: Your Water Boy on Wednesday, March 1.
Laviña said to spare President Rodrigo Duterte from the embarrassment he voluntarily resigned from his post.
“To spare the President from these embarrassing stories, particularly in these times of intensified attacks on him, I have quietly left government. I have neither personal vested interest in it, nor ill intent towards NIA and the whole government which we are trying to reform,” Laviña said.
He also thanked the president for his trust. He said he “never betrayed” the president.
“I have proven in the past that one need not be in government to do public service or work for the common good. I will likely continue to do so in media, civil society and the business sector where I have been involved before,” he said.
Laviña ended his post with: “May the Lord continue to light our paths. God bless us all. This is your water boy, signing off!”
A report by Rappler quoted two unnamed sources saying Duterte said he fired Laviña for allegedly receiving “40 percent.”
Duterte, however, did not further elaborate his claim. It can be recalled that during his speech at the launching of the expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission at the Waterfront Hotel here on Friday, Feb. 24, President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned a government official from Davao whom he sacked for allegedly “making a remark.” He said the official was fired on Thursday night.
“When I said there will be no corruption, there will be no corruption, as a matter of fact, I fired last night one .. taga-Davao na.. for simply making a remark about a… sabi ko he’s out. And I told him even a whiff of corruption talagang tatanggalin kita,” Duterte said.
“Basta gawain ko ang pinangako ko. If I go down or I go up that will be my fortunes or misfortunes sa buhay,” he added.
However, Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella in a media briefing Wednesday did not confirm whether it was Laviña whom the President was referring to in his speech.
Abella read a message from the office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco saying Laviña “tendered his resignation”.
“NIA Administrator Peter Laviña has tendered his resignation amidst attempts to vilify, discredit and malign him and to spare the President from any embarrassment due to the these attempts. It is with deep regret that our office receives this news and wishes him well in his next endeavors,” the message reads.
Abella added that the President accepted the resignation.
“Let’s just say that the man resigned and the President accepted it,” he said. The Palace spokesman did not give a name on who will replace Laviña, who was appointed as head of NIA in November last year.
“Antayin na lang po natin (Let’s just wait),” he said.
Prior to his appointment the former Davao City councilor also served as a Presidential spokesman. (davaotoday.com)
