President Rodrigo Duterte is set to meet with resigned Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio to discuss issues of irregularities hounding the agency.
The Office of the President has received the resignation letter of Rio, who wanted to step down from his post since he felt he was “no longer needed” in the agency, but the Chief Executive has yet to act on it, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“His office has received the resignation letter but he has not read it. As to the allegations of Rio, he will listen to him when they meet but no schedule yet. Meanwhile, he will observe the Senate hearing on its investigation to Rio’s allegations,” Panelo said in a message to CNN Philippines.
In his previous interviews, Rio said he wanted to relay his concerns personally and privately to the President, adding that he could no longer work with his colleagues who kept him out of the loop in intelligence-related decisions which were supposed to be within his scope.
The official also cited irregularities in the disbursement of hundreds of millions in confidential funds, hinting that these were being used for surveillance.
The Commission on Audit had flagged down the agency’s cash advances, which were released in tranches of P100 million on Nov. 8, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 last year.
Rio also said DICT, headed by former Senator Gringo Honasan, did not need confidential funds because it is not the agency’s mandate to conduct surveillance and intelligence activities.
He was the DICT’s acting secretary until Honasan assumed the Cabinet post last July.
During his stint in DICT, Rio led the country’s search for a third telecommunications player.
