IN PHOTOS: Sueno says goodbye to DILG employees

MANILA, Philippines – Former interior secretary Ismael Sueno said goodbye to officials and employees of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), his office of 9 months, days after President Rodrigo Duterte fired him over corruption allegations.

In a simple event at the National Police Commission (Napolcom) buildiing, DILG employees held up messages of thanks and support for Sueno as he faced the biggest crisis of his career as a public official.

Sueno called himself a “willing victim” in Duterte’s campaign against corruption, though he maintained that the accusations hurled against him by 3 DILG undersecretaries were all baseless.

While he remained supportive of the Duterte administration’s vision of change and reform, Sueno admitted he was “still hurting” from his “traumatic” dismissal, which was based on corruption allegations that he, one by one, categorically denied.

Sueno said he was ready to prove his innocence in any investigation. (READ: Sueno: Thank you, Mr President, but ‘I am not corrupt’)

The President has designated DILG Undersecretary Catalino Cuy as acting secretary until he appoints a permanent DILG chief. Sueno said in a news briefing on Thursday that he hopes Cuy would be named his permanent replacement.

Since he lost in the vice presidential elections, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr has been rumored to be the next DILG chief after the lapse of the one-year ban on appointing losing candidates to government posts. (READ: Bongbong Marcos on Cabinet post: I can’t say no to the President) – Rappler.com