Crooks in DPWH? Duterte Says Blame Fake Bidders, Not Mark Villar

When it comes to corruption, the public should be on the lookout for hao-shiao (fake) bidders for government projects, President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday as he cleared Public Works Sec. Mark Villar over supposed anomalies.

Duterte said Villar—son of billionaire Manny Villar and Sen. Cynthia Villar—doesn't need to steal from public coffers, since he comes from a wealthy family.

“Si Villar, mayaman. Secretary Villar, maraming pera ‘yan. Hindi niya kailangan mangurakot,” the President said in his weekly late-night public address.

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Duterte instead urged the public to watch out for corruption within the ranks of government offices, saying corruption is rampant among low-level employees.

“Ang problema sa baba, malakas pa rin hanggang ngayon,” he said. “Iyang sa mga project sa baba, iyon ang laro diyan. So we might maybe place another structure there --- structure to improve the integrity of the projects.”

Duterte had previously required all of his Cabinet officials to publish the list of bidders for government projects and purchases to help address corruption.

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“Iyong ano sa corruption, lahat ng bidding must be published,” he said. “I do not forgive cases sa mga corruption. Wala talaga. Walang areglo, wala lahat. No quarters given, no quarters asked.”