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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte says martial law needed to stamp out gov't corruption

Duterte says martial law needed to stamp out gov't corruption

Published Jul 26, 2021 05:50 pm

Corruption may be eliminated in government if martial law will be declared to replace all officials in the bureaucracy with new ones, President Duterte said Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his sixth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, 2021. (Screenshot /RTVM)

The President, in his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday, July 26, proposed the martial declaration to "overturn" the government and advance the anti-corruption drive if he were the country's next leader.

Duterte made the remarks after admitting that ending corruption in government was not possible unless such extreme measure is implemented.

"I will reach you somehow but corruption is endemic in government. You cannot stop corruption. Nobody can stop corruption unless you overturn government completely," he said in his remarks.

"If I were the next president, if you think you need to change everybody in the system, then you declare martial law and fire everybody and allow the new generation to come in to work for government," he added.

Despite the challenges in the anti-corruption drive, Duterte asserted that around 200 officials have already been dismissed from office over corruption allegations. He also pledged to use the remainder of his term to continue to weed out any erring officials in government.

The anti-corruption efforts were among the accomplishments mentioned by the President in his farewell SONA Monday. He also cited government’s gains in the fight against illegal drugs and criminality, infrastructure development, social services, among others.

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