Itinalaga ni Pangulong Duterte si Undersecretary Catalino Cuy bilang officer-in-charge ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), na hahalili kay Secretary Ismael “Mike” Sueno.
Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, mananatali sa puwesto si Cuy hanggang wala pang napipili ang Pangulo na bagong kalihim ng DILG.
“Usec Cuy will hold the position to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of services of the Department until the President appoints a new Secretary,” ayon kay Abella.
Matatandaang sinibak ng Pangulo si Sueno dahil nawalan na siya ng tiwala sa opisyal dahil sa mga alegasyong ipinupukol dito, gaya ng kurapsiyon at iba pang pang-aabuso.
Ipinaliwanag ng Pangulo na naubos na ang kanyang pasensiya sa Cabinet meeting nitong Lunes nang magmaang-maangan si Sueno tungkol sa opinyon ng sarili nitong opisina kaugnay ng umano’y maanomalyang fire truck deal sa Australia.
Nadismaya si Duterte sa paliwanag ni Sueno “because it was really a plain lie.”
“If you answer me with that kind of statement that you never read the legal opinion of the legal officer of your own office, it’s either you’re taking me for a stupid, an idiot or you are lying to your teeth,” pahayag ni Duterte bago ang gathering sa Metropolitan Manila Development Authority sa Makati City noong Martes.
“So I said, ‘you’re fired.’ I just simply said, ‘you’re fired,’” ani Duterte. (Beth Camia at Genalyn D. Kabiling)