Michael Dino stays as presidential assistant for Visayas —Palace

Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas still enjoys the trust of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said Monday, amid calls for his removal over his handling of the COVID-19 response in Cebu City.

“Sa ngayon po, nandiyan pa rin po si Secretary Dino, so may tiwala pa rin po ang Presidente kay Secretary Dino,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

Roque also asked everyone to set aside politics for now.

“Iyong online petition, hayaan po natin ang mga gumagawa niyan, hindi po natin mapipigilan iyan. Pero as to the issue of resignation, we all serve at the pleasure of the President po, kapag nawalan ng tiwala ang Presidente, goodbye Cabinet member,” he said.

A petition on change.org has asked Duterte to fire Dino over allegations of incompetence and corruption in relation to the COVID-19 response in Cebu City, which has been on lockdown since last week due to a spike in infections.

The petition also criticized the location of OPAV’s headquarters which is said to be inside a high-end commercial building.

The petition has already gathered more than 4,400 signatures.

Several politicians in Cebu backed Dino with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia dismissing the allegations against the secretary as character assassination.

Dino said last week that he would “keep on working” as long as he has the trust and confidence of the President.  —LDF, GMA News