MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he may dissolve the Pasig River rehab body and transfer the river's rehabilitation to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), saying the river is "uncleanable."

"'Yang Pasig na 'yan 'di mo malinis 'yan because wala naman tayong zoning. Yung mga lumalabas sa bahay at factory sa Pasig napupunta. Panahon pa ni Rizal," Duterte said during an oath-taking of newly appointed officials in Malacañang.

"How can you clean that? Kaya itong commission sa Pasig, tanggalin ko na ito, place it under Gen. Cimatu sa DENR. 'Di mo malinis talaga 'yan," he said.

The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) was formed through an executive order signed by then-President Joseph Estrada on Jan. 6, 1999 to rehabilitate the river which connects the Laguna de Bay and the Manila Bay and cuts across Metro Manila.

Duterte earlier transferred the chairmanship of the PRRC to DENR from the Department of Budget and Management.

Last week, PRRC's former head Jose Antonio Goitia was sacked due to allegations of corruption.

• Duterte sacks head of Pasig River rehab body over corruption allegations