Peter Tiu LaviñaPeter Tiu Laviña. ABS-CBN News
MANILA – Former National Irrigation Authority administrator Peter Tiu Laviña on Wednesday indirectly apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte “for the mess” that prompted him to tender his resignation.
In a message sent to DZRH reporter Henri Uri, Laviña expressed his short apology.
“I’m sorry that these intrigues have affected his crusade against graft and corruption. I did not do anything to harm this drive to reform government,” Laviña said.
“Sorry for the mess,” he added/
Earlier, Laviña, in a post in his newly-created Facebook page, said he submitted his resignation “to spare the president from embarrassing stories” after rumors circulated that the irrigation chief asked for money from NIA contractors.
In a speech last February 24, Duterte hinted that he fired somebody from the government but did not mention any name.
“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… and I told him even a whiff of corruption, talagang tatanggalin kita. I am doing my part,” said Duterte.
Palace officials neither confirmed nor denied if the president was pertaining to Laviña.
“There is no mention made of a name. So let’s leave it at that,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella told Palace reporters.
Abella also declined to clarify if Laviña lost the president’s trust amid corruption allegations, and if he was eventually fired from his post.
“Let’s just say the man resigned and the President accepted it. Plain and simple,” the spokesperson said.
–— with reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News.
