Sacked FDA chief Puno denies corruption allegations

Fired Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Nela Charade Puno on Friday belied allegations of corruption after she was sacked from her post by President Rodrigo Duterte.

"I received my letter of termination yesterday afternoon. As a presidential appointee, I serve at the pleasure of the President and therefore I accept his decision without ill-feelings," Puno said in a statement.

On Thursday, Malacañang announced that Duterte has fired Puno "in line with the President’s continuing mandate to eradicate graft and corruption. 

Puno, however, said she takes exception to the so-called "corruption allegations" as "I am clueless as to what these are."

"I have not been charged in any legal proceedings nor am I aware of any official investigations being undertaken in relation to corruption involving me. Of course, if there will be any such allegations forthcoming, I am more than ready to face these in any forum," she said.

"Prior to my appointment in 2016, I was in the private sector. I am therefore completely unfamiliar with the political maneuverings in the bureaucracy. I served as the Director General of FDA for two years and 10 months with complete honesty, diligence, dedication, and loyalty," she added,

Nevertheless, the sacked FDA chief thanked Duterte for "the opportunity and honor" to serve the agency as its director general.

"It was during my tenure that the FDA gained three ISO certifications, and ASEAN recognition as the fifth ASEAN nation member country whose regulatory standards were so accredited," Puno said.

"I also implemented the decentralization and regionalization of the FDA, the digitization of its registration process, the support to MSMEs in a joint effort with the Department of Trade and Industry, and strict regulatory enforcement of FDA lawa in cooperation with the Philippine National Police," she said.

Puno said she has "consciously and vigorously resisted the regulatory capture of the FDA."

"I leave FDA with a clear conscience and what I believe to be a clean record. It is completely unnecessary to sully the personal and professional reputations of people who sacrifice to render public service," she said. — RSJ, GMA News