Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday fired two immigration officials facing allegations of corruption as he reaffirmed his commitment to ensure a clean government.
"I said before that corruption will have no place in my government," Duterte said.
"Consistent with this electoral campaign, I have directed the dismissal of the two (officials from) the Bureau of Immigration who are now tainted with corruption," he said without giving details about the allegation.
"They will be held accountable for their actions. They will face the full force of the law".
Just shortly before Duterte arrived in his hometown Davao City from Singapore, local media reported that two immigration officials accused of extorting $1m from Jack Lam, a Chinese citizen and head of Hong Kong-listed Jimei International, had tendered their resignation.
The two officials, however, had denied the allegation and said they were a target of a demolition job for investigating corruption in the immigration bureau, the reports said.
Lam, from the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, faces allegations of economic sabotage and bribery in the Philippines.
Lam's whereabouts are unknown. His lawyer in the Philippines has previously denied the accusations against Lam.
