President Rodrigo Duterte handed out bonuses to the barangay officials in the city on Tuesday during their gathering at the Davao City Recreational Gym.
Duterte gave P10, 000 each to the 183 barangay chieftains and P3, 000 each to the barangay councilors in addition to grocery packs.
He said he felt the need to give bonuses to the barangay officials since he could not have been mayor of Davao City if not because of them.
He said that the barangay officials played a big role during his campaign as the chief executive of Davao City since they all supported him even from the start of his political career.
“I’ll give you additional bonuses since I could not be mayor of Davao City if not because of your help to begin with,” Duterte said.
Duterte though reminded the barangay officials to continue their uphold their sworn duties and not to lend themselves to corruption since he will never tolerate it.
He then said that he even dismissed his 92 fraternity brothers who were holding government posts because of alleged corruption in their ranks.
“Let us make our promise come true. In my government, do not ever attempt to commit corruption, I will never tolerate you,” he said,
He then assured the barangay officials that the money he gave to them did not come from graft and corruption.
Duterte said that the money he is using came from a politician who donated to his election campaign, however, it was not utilized.
“A politician donated this money to me, I returned it to him since I have no intention of using it, however, he did not accept it that it why it is still with me,” he said.
“I did not declare it in my campaign expenditures since I did not use it, I told myself that I will just use it in cases like this,” he added.
Duterte said that he used some of the money to donate on the hospitals and medications of those poor people.
