President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Marcial 鈥淎l鈥� Amaro III for allegedly making excessive foreign trips, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Thursday.
In a televised press conference in Davao City, Roque said that the President terminated Amaro鈥檚 services after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has submitted a report detailing Amaro鈥檚 excessive foreign trips.
He also said that the Office of the President (OP) received on December 22 a letter purportedly from Marina employees, enumerating all of Amaro鈥檚 travels abroad.
鈥淭he President has tasked me to announce that he has terminated the services of Mr. Marcial Amaro, administrator of Marina,鈥� Roque said.
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According to Roque, President Duterte ordered an investigation into Amaro鈥檚 trips, and that the DOTr has submitted to the OP a report on Amaro鈥檚 travels abroad.
The DOTr report showed that the Marina official made a total of 24 foreign trips in the last two years.
It specifically showed that Amaro went on 18 official trips abroad in 2017. It also indicated that Amaro travelled abroad six times in 2016.
鈥淭he President has decided therefore to terminate his services,鈥� he said.
On Wednesday, Malaca帽ang issued the guidelines for government officials going on trips abroad after Duterte rebuked officials of the executive branch engaging in foreign junkets.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 /kga
Marcial 鈥淎l鈥� Amaro III. PHOTO from https://www.marina.gov.ph