DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Dutere on Saturday, August 21, fired National Electrification Administrator (NEA) Undersecretary Eduardo masongsong due to alleged corruption in his office.
Masongsong’s termination came after the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) recommended his dimissal from service.
During his talk to the nation address on Saturday, Duterte said “We’ve been talking about corruption. Alam mo may bago akong, the name is Edgardo Masongsong. He’s the administrator of the National Electrification Administration. I dismissed him from public service.”
Duterte emphasized “[The] PACC conducted the investigation and made the recommendation for his dismissal. I have approved.”
According to the PACC report as submitted by chairperson Greco Belgica, Masongsong spent the agency’s fund to campaign for a party-list during the 2019 elections, which violates the Omnibus Election Code.
According to report Masongsong spent fund for Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (Philreca) party-list.
In his Facebook post, Belgica stated, saide from being terminated from service, Masongsong also faces a case before the Office of the Ombudsman “Ang mga kasong Grave Misconduct at Violation of Rules of Administrative Cases on Civil Service.”
But in a press statement, Masongsong said the corruption allegation was “baseless.” He was appointed as administrator of NEA in November 2016.
He said he has yet to receive a formal notice from the Office of the President but he is ready to step down.
The dismissal of Masongsong, according to Duterte, shows that his administration’s intent to cleanse the government of corruption.
“I’m given the opportunity to show to the people again, we are not bragging about it but we are trying our best to cope with the situation regarding graft and corruption in our government,” said Duterte.
The NEA is a Government Owned and Controlled Corporation which supervises the operations of the rural electric cooperatives in the country.
