(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
PRESS CONFERENCE
OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
[Matina Enclaves, Davao City | 9 February 2018]
I have a statement to make then we can entertain some questions but not so many because I still have another commitment sa ibang forum.
I’ll give you a copy after I shall have read it publicly.
A few days ago, while serving an eviction order in an apartment in Al-Shaab, Kuwait which has been unoccupied for some time, the Kuwaiti police were surprised to find the cadaver of a Filipina household service worker later identified as Joanna Daniela Demafelis, inside a freezer. Her body bore torture marks and indications that she was strangled to death.
A review of the incidents of violence, curtailment of freedom and abuse of basic human rights committed against Filipino [overseas] workers overseas, especially household service workers in Kuwait reveal the DATA so repugnant [that] it compels us to ask what we, in government, has been doing all these years to protect and give justice to our helpless sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.
Sad to state, it seems that our government is as inutile as our foreign workers are helpless in the present state of things. This is a national shame and yet we proclaim the OFWs the modern heroes of our Republic. Our words and action simply do not match.
Consider the following data: In Kuwait alone, in 2016, there were 82 reported deaths of OFWs. In 2017, the number reportedly increased to [103].
On January 25, 2017, OFW Jakatia Pawa was executed for the alleged killing of the 22-year-old daughter of her employer in 2007, a crime she claimed up to the day of her execution she never committed.
On the day of Pawa’s execution, a Filipino domestic [worker] died in a hospital after a severe beating at the hands of her Kuwaiti [employer]. I need not go into the specifics of every harm and abuse that our OFWs have been subjected to. They can be discussed some time or other times in another forum.
But let me ask: When will this inhuman treatment of our Filipino workers end? When will the upliftment of their human dignity begin? To the Kuwaiti government and all others where our OFWs work, we seek and expect your assistance in this regard.
We do not seek special treatment or privileges for our workers, but we do expect respect for their dignity and basic human rights. Keep them free from harm. I implore you. Nakikiusap ako sa lahat ng mga Arabo.
The Filipino is no slave to anyone, anywhere and everywhere. Every unlawful physical injury that is inflicted on an OFW is an injury [that] I personally bear as the head of this Republic.
Every abuse committed against an OFW is an affront against us, as a sovereign nation. [All that] I ask [for] our overseas Filipino workers, is that their dignity is honored and the rights of a human being, upheld and respected.
We send to you a Filipino worker, hale and hearty, determined to work his heart out in order to give his family a decent and comfortable life in the Philippines. Do not give us back a battered worker or a mutilated corpse.
If the Philippine government is reduced [into] helplessness because other foreign governments do not heed our requests to protect and give justice to our overseas Filipino workers within the limits that their laws allow, then let me say this both as a matter of personal conviction and national policy, [that] I am ready to take drastic steps that will help preserve Filipino life and limb. We do not intend to offend any government or anyone. But if a ban is what is needed, then let it be so.
The ban continues today and I don’t know up to what time.
I declared it early this morning because I was reading this report complete with pictures sa eroplano. P****** i** hindi ko na masikmura ‘to. It is totally, totally unacceptable to me.
Kung wala rin lang akong magawa sa Pilipino, tapos ganito, eh wala akong silbi dito pagka-Presidente. Umalis na lang ako kaya. What for? Tignan ninyo. Kasi kung inutil talaga — let me know and then…
Pero hindi ako pwedeng ganito. Of course, we need the help of Kuwait. You know, alam mo, mga taga-Kuwait, you guys. I’m addressing the Kuwait nation. There was this fiction created because Iraq invaded Kuwait many years ago. And that war and its repercussions continued. So that the American government was always on its toes because Iraq entertained a more expanded invasions later. That was the international intelligence report. It was over the intelligence communities.
And so because — though it was a lie perpetuated by the Americans, they decided to invade Iraq. Ah, Kuwait… Iraq invaded Kuwait during the time of President Bush, the father. And so the Americans went inside Iraq on a pretext of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, only to admit that there was intelligence failure and there was actually none.
But because of our desire to protect you Kuwait in the future, from Iraq, because Iraq was bent on getting you as part of their territory, we, at that time, during the invasion, considering you and the danger of weapons of mass destruction and verily at the behest of the American government, we were deployed in the Middle East using your country and you saw the workers, the doctors, and the nurses, and other medical personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
We lost about — wounded seriously three of our citizens fighting for the cause of the peace in the Middle East focused on the fear of your government that you will be invaded again.
We went there. We were enthusiastic. We were fought to protect your interest. We did not fail you. O how come my countrymen are now suffering brutality, cruelty, and death? And you seem to be oblivious about it.
We’ve been complaining. We are showing you shortly. What the — Saan na? ‘Yung litrato. T*** i**** bwisit.
What are you doing to my countrymen? And if I were to do it to your citizens here, would you be happy?
Tingnan mo. Parang pinirito, nilitson. Is there something wrong with your culture? Is there something wrong with the values? P***** i** plinantsa ‘yung katawan.
You can have it if you want. Enjoy the reading, ladies and gentlemen of this Republic. And that is because our only fault —our only fault is that — I address this to Kuwait. Ano ang kasalanan? What is really our fault?
Our fault is that God was — I don’t know how he runs this… show his — Binigyan kayo ng oil. Sana may oil kami just like Indonesia and Malaysia. We could have done better with our citizens in providing livelihood. But since we are really — the overpopulation of 110 million is putting our productivity down.
And that is why they go to other places para lang ho… so that they could, you know, empower their small pockets to send their children to school. Kaya itong si.. itong si prosecutor nandito, ipakita mo sa kanya ‘yan. The mayor of Davao City says or the former mayor of Davao says. You better read. You are so worried about the lives of the criminals then take a look at the miserable agony of my countrymen.
These guys are going there because they have no money to send them to school. And your clients, the drug syndicates, up to now they’re throwing so many barrels of plastic everyday just across the international waters. They are still contaminating and you are worried of the criminals but you’re not worried of —
I hope you come. And I hope that we can be together in a room. I would ask for that rare privilege of talking to you. Tayo lang — the two of us in a room with no… I’ll welcome you. And if you want to find me guilty, go ahead. So be it.
Find a country where they kill people with a firing squad. And I’m ready. Eh kung — If you go, if you hail me into a rigmarole of trial and trial, no need. Go ahead and proceed in your investigation. Find me guilty, of course, you can do that. I do not want imprisonment. I said, I beg of you to find a country where they execute — By the way, what is [EJK]? We are not clear on that definition. What is extrajudicial killing?
May I lecture you? There is a Philippine Constitution. It provides for remedies for the State to seek a redress of grievance from criminals.
It used to be that we were adopting the policy of death penalty. Nawala na ‘yun. Okay.
Criminal law says that you cannot escape liability by just pretending to be ignorant.
So in order not to be ignorant, we have to publish our penal laws, especially with punitive sanctions.
One of the fundamental requirement in a decent and a humane society, a democracy, is that you must know the law that you are violating.
Now, you decide a case in the international court like a common law. You come up with new theories about crimes, making a crime for an act or deed. But these laws must be published in the Official Gazette to be really effective laws.
Now, the treaty says that we sign the treaty, we deliver the documents in Rome, sabi ninyo. But those laws were submitted to you but were not published, ‘yung mga definition of what are the crimes that you can take cognizance of.
One of the fundamentals is really that you have to publish it in the Official Gazette, which this government did not or not my government. I did not sign it.
Now, the treaty says that our — the treaties shall form part of the laws of the land.
So itong mga itong extrajudicial killing ‘yang mga — there is no international revised — revised — international penal code.
Kung ano lang ‘yung makita ninyo, you define it in the way that you are reared in a country where you belong, parang common law. “O ito ganito kasi ginawa nilang crime.”
And your individual thinking says that it is a crime. Okay, killing. But what is extrajudicial killing? If you accuse me of what is extrajudicial killing, there is no f****** provision of extrajudicial killing. It is not found anywhere.
So how can you now accuse me of a crime when the law says the treaties that we enter into forms our part of the law of our land? Okay.
Our land says, the Philippine land republic says that before a penal statute for a punitive act can be a basis for prosecution, you have to publish it.
Was there any publication? None. What is in the Revised Penal Code? There is no extrajudicial killing.
Then our principles of territoriality is that the crime must only be prosecuted in the place or the country where the crime was committed.
But again, you go into this treaty thing, which America never did.
You know why? Because had America signed it, the President Bush, the one, the son, would have gone to prison.
Imagine, invading a country, raising the excuse of weapons of mass destruction only to find out or to say later on, there was none and we committed a mistake.
Karaming massacre diyan ngayon. In all parts of Asia, there’s a — ako pa ‘yung gusto ninyong tirahin.
You better clear that up because I will withdraw from the ICC.
Alam mo, tingnan mo Miss Prosecutor. ‘Yung si De Lima, ‘yung chief prosecutor ko conducted a hearing here in the pretext that Davao was a killing field.
Pumunta dito. All of you Davao saw this on TV. TV Patrol ng gabi, dala-dala ng mga pulis, pati dala-dala ng mga [ano sa Tagalog aning… pala pa rin ‘yan? Pala ba ‘yung tawag niyan sa Tagalog?] O, you Tagalog people, you learn Bisaya so that we can understand each other right away.
Kaya tinakot niya ‘yung p***** i**** [unclear] diyan na nakita niya, “O kayo, mga taga-media, all of you, tell the truth.”
All that she got was a single skeletal body with two heads.
Extrajudicial killing for what? A human person with no head — with two heads? That is not a human being, maybe it’s a monster. In which case, it is also, debatable din ‘yan. I am just joking. But all she got was that.
After the investigation, wala na. She went back to Manila then she was taken in as Secretary of Justice.
She played with drugs, protected them, and submitted herself to a video, a pornography for all to see. She has the moral a** to… when she was Secretary, she investigated me again. But at that time, she was the one who was playing with drugs.
When she became Senator, they investigated me again. Nothing happened. The House investigated me again. Nothing happened. Way, way back, I was investigated by the Ombudsman, together with the police.
I was informed that I was under investigation. They were going to file for evidence here. Sabi ko, “Oh, good.” All lawyers.
What did they do? They recommended all those chiefs of police in Davao dismissed from the service.
So I told them, you know, f***** guys, they have no sin. They have not committed any wrong.
I never ordered a specific Mr. Santos or Mr. Cruz. I just told them, “Destroy the apparatus of the drug syndicates.”
And you guys, if you do — if you destroy my city, I will kill you. If you destroy the young of this land, I will kill you.
And when I became the President, I said, “Please do not destroy my country. I am not a policeman, I am not a general in the army but I want to build a country that is progressive and safe. And that progress to be comfortable for my people to enjoy and economy that’s good.”
What else? I will destroy it. And I keep on feeding [shows the photos] Why are all these guys suffering? What’s the reason? Because the Middle East is beautiful and they are there for a tourist so that they contract — I mean, they are there because their children cannot go to school if they do not sacrifice.
And for every family that loses a mother that goes into, outside of the country, that family, that poor family, becomes dysfunctional.
If the mother and father goes out to the Middle East to look for a living — Filipinos on the average, four, five, six families.
To enable them to pay for the education of their children, both works in another country and the wife deployed in another state and the children are left to the care of the uncles.
They are raped even by the uncles… it’s an everyday… So without the father and mother, these children flounder. And they suffer, they swallow everything that the human being can digest in his mental and physical [inaudible].
But for them to commit suicide because the human body can only take so much, there are — not all — let me lay the predicate — not all but there are tribes in the Arab nation who has this culture that if you are a slave bought from the slave market of Africa and the Middle East, when you work for them, you are a slave.
It includes rape, if you do not want it, or orgies if it is to your predilection.
They suffer two, three years. That is why I have always been avoiding this topic because once upon a time I was a congressman.
There were two from Toril and one from Kidapawan, which is outside of Davao City.
What these two — the parents have kept on coming back and forth to my house because their daughters were in prison because of being apprehended, distributing rosaries. Eh Kristiyano eh.
So since they were there, almost crying everyday, my wife said, “Why don’t you do something?” So I decided to go to… and true enough, King Fahd, he was a very magnanimous king, not all Arabs are like that, and he readily acceded to our request, a delegation of Filipino.
But I brought all along with me, most of them were the Muslim, the Moro congressmen.
But I was advised by one of the high officials there in the Palace, “Talk to your counterpart.”
So I — I forgot his name but I went to the Parliament and I was introduced to this guy. And that is what he told me. “You must tell the people, your people, that in some tribes but not all, you are really raped.” First, by your employer, then by the son, then the son shares with you with his friends and the brother-in-law.
It — you will never [inaudible] complain. Almost all of them who came home to complain, they said they only were able to sleep three hours and their food was garbage, the leftovers.
And they do not have sleep because if it’s a compound, they clean the house of their employer, the original, and they would clean the house of the son and daughter-in-law and for the children and she washes the clothes.
That is why she only sleeps two or three hours. Most of them come home with a mental disease. And I was hesitant to announce then because I did not want to create something in the minds of the husbands or their… because it will destroy their thinking process everyday knowing that… t*** i***.
But the Secretary said once a diplomatic has said no, maybe just a suspension of the ban. I want it stopped.
I told her — told him and the Senator pati si Congressman, “I need to put a face for the cruelty and the agony of the — the cruelty of some people and the agony that they are facing.”
Since you are also free to do a thing when that prosecutor from the ICC comes here, I want to tell her the rules. I also want to complain to her about this. And they’re happening, thousands of them.
So everyone who wants to come home, I said to Secretary Bello, those who want to be repatriated with or without money, I will ask PAL and Cebu Pacific to provide the transportation. I want them out of the country, those who want to go out, in 72 hours.
I will not — I said that’s about 1 week. No. We will count our lives by the hours because apparently, every hour there is a suffering and agony committed — brutality committed by Filipinos.
When we were called upon to help, maintain the balance of power, and preserve — you know — see to it that there Iraq stops or there is no Iraq at all and the Kuwait government freed from its headache, we were there for you. And now it’s very sad, very sad that this is what we get in return. Well, maybe someday…
God is good. God is great. He will balance everything sometime, somewhere, somehow. And we will wait for that time. Our only crime is that we are poor. And since God is great being…
This is a dangerous world. Do not count on us. We will do things the way we believe to the greater interest of this nation.
No country, as long as I’m President, no country can bring us in into trouble. Be it Korea, be it North Korea. You can rest assure, we will not…
China, we are not prepared to deal with arms with you. We’ll just end up with the slaughter of my soldiers.
But if you want to make good your promise that we — we might start to have explorations because, I said, we are poor. We can start partnerships. If you want really to help to help us which you proclaim, you want.
The Philippine Rise or the Benham Rise is ours. And the continental shelf that extends subterranean, if it reaches Guam, then Guam is ours.
The continental shelf is the submerged part of a land mass, if that continental shelf that goes to the shores of San Francisco, then San Francisco is ours.
If it goes to the Atlantic Ocean, then we will claim the Atlantic Ocean because nowadays, the favorite voice, you claim an ocean. You do not claim by just… so…
And since it’s all underwater and above us the soil that all connected not really perceived in the naked eyes, but you know, all are connected because the seabeds are all connected everywhere. There has to be… I’m just joking.
But Benham Rise or the Philippine Rise belongs to the Philippines. We will claim exclusive ownership of the economic zones.
Two hundred… They count it kilometers or the mile? By miles na lang. I will compute it by miles because a mile is longer. And I said and ordered the Philippine Navy and Air Force to do regular patrols.
And since itong frigate was embroiled in a scandal, dragging the name of my — and he was told that he will be called to testify but I said, “it will be under an executive session,” meaning to say it’s not open to everyone.
I told him, “Do not — do not agree to that. Demand and ask for an open, transparent, in public.”
That frigates were contracted during Aquino’s time. It was ready for delivery but for the armaments that Hyundai wants to install because they built a ship and Mercado, the chief of the Navy, wanted another armament placed there on top of the ship of Hyundai.
That got him into a quarrel with Lorenzana and I don’t know why this… You know there is a secret and you can ask — you can go there to Malacañan, anytime, all of you. You are free to ask.
I do not allow commercial transactions, papers in my desk in Malacañan. I only sign appointments and other concerns of the… But never — MRT deal, it does not reach and you can take a look at…
I invited all the media of all the world, go there and look at the papers in the ledger, you can find no pending contracts being signed.
If it — that thing falls under the jurisdiction exclusively of the Labor, Bello takes charge. Even Senate matter, I would not… here is Manny, he’s a pastor. He will tell you. I’ve never asked anything from anybody at any time.
I have not requested Congress to do what about this federal thing should be. But Senator Pacquiao knows the entrails of what ails this island.
Bebot, because he married a Davaoeña, [is she Davaoeña?] Congressman but he is representing the OFWs.
Sabi nila contract, contract ko. Ask anybody; ask any Secretary, if they will say that the papers of MRT-2 is with the President, I will step down immediately. No dramatics there. No mellow dramatics.
I’m trying to govern as… and be in a far from the money crowd. And no congressman or senator has also even called me to recommend or to anyone because when I ran, I was a alone.
There’s 130 congressmen, I only had one. Maybe Manny Pacquiao. Governor? Imee is one, Zubiri, Abet and Bello was the fraternity brother of Binay.
So he left his job because he was the Congressman of the partylist, he was the representative of Binays. He resigned and said he will join me because he does not like this thing — it’s to be a recurring nightmare for the Filipino people.
May I now ask the Senator Manny Pacquiao to just give a few words.
SEN. PACQUIAO: Thank you, Mr. President and to all of us here, the media. Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagbibigay ng panahon na pakinggan kami.
Mr. President, of what happening right now in Kuwait sa mga kababayan natin, nag-iinit ang ulo ko.
[speaks Bisaya]
Mr. President, I just want you to know na kung ano man ‘yung mga plano mo para sa ating bansa, all-out support ako at ang aking pamilya.
Sa lahat ng aking mga advocacy, ikaw ang lagi kong binibida sa kanila because of your advocacy, because of your heart for the Filipino, for this country.
And that’s… ‘yan ‘yung tanging hinangaan ko the most sa buhay mo. Dahil ‘yung puso mo, nasa mga tao, puso mo nasa taong bayan.
And itong nangyari na ‘to, grabe ‘yung nararamdaman ko. Parang — kasi kai-sponsor ko lang ng mga OFWs na galing sa ibang bansa din, sa Saudi yata ‘yun — yes, sa Saudi.
Na tinulungan ko pagdating dito dahil wala silang perang dala, wala ‘yung mga gamit din nila. At napauwi lang dito tapos wala silang perang madala sa magulang nila kaya tinulungan natin.
Pero naawa ako sa kanila dahil ‘yung iba may mga pasa pa, may mga bugbog. Para bang… masakit sa akin na tignan ‘yung mga kababayan natin na inaapi sa ibang bansa na malaki man sana ang naitulong natin sa kanila dahil na tayo ang nagtatrabaho sa kanila at tayo ay tumatanggap lang ng pinaghihirapan natin.
Pero ‘yung pang-aabuso, dapat… para sa akin, ‘yung mga gumawa nu’n, kung ‘yung government ng Kuwait ay huwag nilang i-tolerate, i-death penalty nila ‘yun kasi ‘yung ‘yung batas nila.
I-death penalty nila ‘yung employer na gumawa nun at siguro, masa-satisfy tayo, magkaroon tayo ng kaginhawaan sa puso natin, kaginhawaan ng Kuwait government na i-impose din nila ‘yung batas nila doon sa kanilang mga citizen dahil buhay itong nawala at hindi tayo parang hayop lang na basta lang patayin at apihin.
At maraming salamat sa lahat-lahat, Mr. President, sa lahat ng effort mo. Actually, para sa akin — para sa akin ha, ikaw na lang maging Presidente sa habang kami ay nabubuhay kasi gusto man namin ‘yang — gusto naming ganung Pangulo, ‘yung matigas, hindi ‘yung puro salita.
Like we discussed a while ago, Mr. President, in the room na kaya naghihirap ‘yung mga Pilipino because itong mga mayayaman, mga corrupt na mga mayayaman, especially ‘yung mataas na masyado ‘yung taxes natin eh ‘yan ang dahilan eh.
Pero we understand the needs of the people na naiintindihan natin ‘yung pangangailangan ng tao, ng mga mahihirap because galing tayo sa mahirap.
Galing tayo sa mahirap at nararamdaman natin ‘yung puso ng mga mahihirap. ‘Yung mga — mahirap kasi, ‘yung mga tao na hindi dumaan sa hirap, nararamdaman lang nila — nakikita nila ‘yung — nakikita nila ‘yung problema pero hindi nila naramdaman ‘yung problema at nararamdaman ‘yung mga mahihirap na tao.
‘Yung lang — ‘yung ang masasabi ko na lahat ng mga ito, sa tingin ko, ‘yung nagdulot ng problema, Mr. President, ‘yung ganung mga pangyayari na dapat natin sigurong baguhin at ipaintindi sa mga tao.
Maraming salamat.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Thank you, Manny. Since we’re all officials of this government, I’d like to turnover the microphone to Secretary Bello. Sabi niya ang puso natin — ‘yung puso ni Secretary Bello is with the — somebody else’s body, not here. So I would like you to explain.
SEC. BELLO: Thank you, Mr. President. As earlier stated by our President, I recommended that we continue with the suspension of the processing and issuances of new OECs until we have discovered or determined the true causes of the death of our seven OFWs in December of last year and January of this year, including the recent death of our OFW from Sara, Iloilo, Miss Joanna Daniela Demafelis.
In addition, I also suggested to our President that in order to lift the suspension, the Kuwaiti government should already sign the memorandum of understanding that has been pending with them for the last three years.
This memorandum of understanding provides for additional protection for our overseas workers in Kuwait. However, the President has taken his position, and I fully support the position of our President.
Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Congressman?
CONGRESSMAN BERTIZ: Magandang gabi po. Mr. President, unang-una po nagpapasalamat ako bilang kinatawan ng mga OFW at 12 taon din po sa Saudi Arabia, ganun na rin po ang tatay ko. Kasi po, ngayon lang po talaga kami nagkaroon ng Presidente na may puso at malasakit sa aming sektor.
At nagpapasalamat din po kami dahil po sa mismong sa inyo na po nanggaling at ang pagtatanggol niyo sa aming naaping — lalung-lalo na po ‘yung mga domestic worker.
Mahigit pong sampung milyon ang aming sektor na sumusporta at nagdadasal po sa inyo.
Ang sa akin lang po, Mr. President, pakiusap ko rin po sana na bantayan natin ang ating mga airport kasi po ‘yung mga mabibiktima ng mga human trafficking at illegal recruiters dahil na rin po na kagustuhan nilang itawid itong mga — ating mga domestic workers na ‘to papunta ng Kuwait.
At nandito po kami, buong puso at tapang din po, sumusuporta sa lahat po ng layunin at programa niyo po. Solid po ang lahat ng mga OFW at ang aming mga pamilya, na nagdarasal at sumusuporta po sa inyo.
Maraming-maraming salamat po sa inyo, Tatay Digong.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ito ha. This is now the presscon. I’d like to see to it that, either back or front door, I would like to task the Philippine National Police, nandito ‘yung ating regional commander, Morente, he has to walk the extra mile; the NBI, Coast Guard and lalo na ‘yung component sa mga pantalan, but usually sa eroplano ‘yan.
I want to add more personnel there and I will hold responsible ‘yung mga taga-Bureau of Labor who had something to do with the permits of the recruiter. I want all of them, connected already by this time, arrested and placed behind bars, to face charges.
I will order Aguirre to issue the order. It’s a continuing crime. I will not go to a specific visa or passport that was issued with their intervention.
If they are into it, kasi it’s a continuing crime and we will have them arrested and detained without bail. Non-bailable ang ang, ang nagi-illegal recruitment. At stay clear this time at kayong mga kababayan ko, you just have to bare with it.
We’re having a problem but I do not want Immigration to abuse and the Customs, and all. I have given my orders, lalo na mga OFW, ‘yung mga mahihirap, do not open the bags, no opening of bags anymore in the airport.
Paglabas niyan sa eroplano, may security check ‘yan doon, there’s a security machine there. So pag-akyat ulit sa rampa niyan, kukunin mo na doon sa conveyor [what’s the…?]
At tsaka ‘pag may tanim-bala, wala naman, ‘pag may nagtanim bala diyan, I will hold all responsible aviation police, ‘pag may isa pa diyan, alis kayong lahat, papalitan ko kayo. Not only the specific policeman, all of you there will be relieved, and so with the NAIA, all of you there will be relieved.
I’ll place you in Zamboanga, there’s so much of entry of terrorists now in the backdoor, dun kayo ma-Immigration, see to it that they do not enter the Philippines, that is your job.
And if you are afraid to go there, you resign. If you are afraid to die, hang yourself. Magbayad ako sa inyo tapos ganun ang trabaho ninyo, f***** s***.
So ‘yan ang ano. Itong — walang processing muna sa travel agency and those I expect to — the Tourism Office also to, I’ll be back Monday, I’ll start to cleanup the old mess there.
I’ll be stricter, sabihin niyo diktador ako, fine. Sabi ko sa inyo, I’m ordering the police, even si RD nandito.
And the military, you guys, if you think that I overstay there for even one day, you arrest me.
If I become a dictator, unlawfully, you kill me. But in the meantime, I gave the orders because I have to protect the people. I do not enjoy giving — hindi ako military, order dito, order doon.
Ako, nagre-request lang, I’m requesting everybody just to behave. That is what the President can only do, is to request everybody — behave, then wala tayong problema.
And we have this problem of terrorism, we will deal with them, just like the way the Armed Forces and the police reacted during the Marawi siege. And for the communists, no quarters, no ask.
Ngayon, ito Bot, Manny, itong Canada nagbili tayo ng 23 something or 21 helicopters — tanungin mo nga si RD kung ila, does he know the figure? How many helicopters are we buying from Canada, sir?
Kasi sabi nila, magpabili lang sila sa atin but only for evacuation and emergency, hindi natin pwede gamitin ‘yung para sa anti-insurgency, because if it is used against the Filipino rebels, hindi nila ibigay.
So this is my reaction: I want to tell the Armed Forces to cut the deal, ‘wag na ituloy and somehow we will look for another supplier.
We respect the stand of Canada. So from hereon now, I am directing the Armed Forces of the Philippines since most of the guns, bullets and whatever, weapons of war, gagamitin naman talaga sa [inaudible] invariably it will be used against the rebels and the terrorists.
Do not buy anymore from Canada or from the United States because there is always a condition attached.
So if we cannot use these against the terrorists who are Filipino citizen, then prepare for the eventual collapse of this country, because they are not ignorant.
I’m sure Canada is a bright boy, that the terrorists here are the ISIS contaminating the locals.
And if I cannot use the gunship, ‘yung helicopter, then I might as well surrender this government to them. That’s the logic, but I said, I do not question your logic, your logic is your logic, my logic is mine, it’s based on the reality on the ground.
So henceforth, this is a direct order to, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed of the Philippines and the police. No more buying of arms from — arms lang naman.
Mga hairpin pati ‘yung mga sabon, mga make-up, okay, you want to look beautiful, cosmetics buy it from Canada.
US, because of its too much imposition but I assure you, I am supporting Trump, he is a good President, he is doing it also for his country, people just don’t understand.
He is supposed… Alam mo, in a ruckus society, depende ‘yan eh, if you are a behaved people, you adjust, but if you are also in Mindanao, ambush dito, ambush doon, killing my soldiers everyday, even the police standing.
Now, look, kayong mga sundalo pati military, there was this report na nagtindig lang ‘yung CAFGU doon, namatay.
I’d like to tell you now, be careful, I’ve been telling you. He was hit from afar, talagang tina — they have also learned the art of — since Marawi.
‘Yung kampo hindi na sila lumapit, that’s why kill one soldier a day. Nabasa ko na kaagad eh, sabi ko, “Sa likod ito.” So there will be a lot of Sparrows and hindi ‘yan sila — ayaw ‘yan sila mag — do you go to a fore? ‘Yung harap-harapan?
They will do it ambush cage and they are — that is why I am ordering also the police to control the sale of — all gun stores are no longer allowed to sell high-powered guns, even to governors and mayors, only the military and police can buy.
And they should be taken off their shelf and returned to Crame and that must be reflected there kung sinong nagbili, sinong tao, anong ranggo, saang unit tapos [inaudible].
Kasi ‘pag nahulog ‘yan doon sa — the nearest will be — and then he gets summary court martial. Remember that in Mindanao there is martial law. I will ask the military to set up martial law courts.
If you are a soldier, you buy bullets there and somehow it reaches into the hands of the enemies of the state, be careful.
I will not… I will be unforgiving. You only… you will not only be discharged, I will insist that you will be in jail.
Kasi ang tinatamaan ‘yun bang.. nagbibigay ka ng bala sa… o civilian ka, you’re supplying ammunition to the enemies of the state.
Kaya nagbabagsakan ‘yan, kung anong gamitin niyan sa detachment, they will use the high-powered. You cannot tap… kaya what we do is hindi natin taguin ‘yan sa kanila. Alam nila na alam natin, alam natin na alam nila, alam nila. At alam rin natin.
So we fight the way they want it. And for all the legal fronts I’ll be coming… I’ll be coming up with something. Mga legal fronts naman talaga ‘yan: Magbubukid, Karapatan, and well — not this time but I’m warning you. Not this time.
‘Wag kayong matakot dictatorship, kayong mga law abiding, pero kayong ’yung harap-harapan mag-parade diyan, ‘yung ano.
Although communism partylist is not [inaudible]. But all of you connected with the NDF, NPA, NPA, it’s one big conspiracy to commit a crime. Sabi nga ni Sison eh: “Kill a soldier or policeman one day at a time.”
So my orders to you is: do the same. Do the same. There’s war.
Hearing it from Sison say ‘Kill one soldier a day’. Eh kung ganun bakit pa i-limit ko yung akin? ‘Di gawin ko nang lima ‘yung natin. Why would I limit? Eh he wants killing.
I never ordered that openly. But if that is what you are giving us, I’ll be returning the favor. Ano ako loko-loko? Of course if we can ambush them we will.. I will buy helicopters. Not the logic of…
That’s the reason why I’m buying helicopters is because I want to finish them off. Kung hindi mo ipagamit sa evacuation lang ,meaning to say kargahan ko lang ‘yan sa mga patay kong sundalo, forget it. It’s a crazy proposition.
So that since we respect their values now. They’re a free country… I hope, I hope that you will never be called upon to use arms in their defense or for them. You will never get it for as long as I’m President.
We are neutral, we will continue to talks with China. This is not the time to be fighting over the South China Sea because it only would lead into a war.
But again I’m putting notice to the world that the Philippine Rise, which we call Benham Rise, is ours. It’s ours. And the economic zone is ours.
And if the continental shelf extends beyond the 200, hanggang doon ‘yan. Because it is a theory of geography, geopolitics included, that we can rightfully claim the continental shelf because it is the [inaudible] part of the land mass which is under the sea, where you see the land base.
‘Yung nakabaon doon sa ilalim atin yun. Eh continental shelf is parang bukid ‘yan. I hope it does not reach Guam now because Guam will be ours also.
But just the same ,we cannot fight America, just like China. I’ll just keep quiet. But if you get something there from the economic zone, I will order the Navy to fire.
Now, if you can claim a whole of an ocean, do not mess up with me with my economic zone here. Nawala na nga dito eh, eh ‘di kukunan mo pa ‘di parang pinutol mo na ang dalawang kamay ko. But China to its…
Sabi nila “No construction sa Spratly Islands.” They assured us. They assured me so I will hold China to that commitment. And we will remain loyal in our commitments.
Sabi ni Roque mapakinabangan pa natin ‘yang islands. Pag natapos na ‘yan ‘di sabihin na atin, “Amin man yan.”
Palagyan mo muna ng building. Ang sabi ng China mag-away man tayo, ‘di mag-away tayo, sige. Pero i-turn over muna ‘yang tapos na, ‘yung may mga hotels na diyan. ‘Yun ang ibig sabihin ni Roque. Malay mo.
Now, China is playing it right at this time. That is the reality of geopolitics. Hindi naman tayo ang kalaban niya, kalaban niya America. They are competing for a world superpower in the next centuries to come. Huwag tayong makisali diyan.
We better solve the fundamental problems of our country, including to what’s happening to our brother Filipinos. Thank you.
Question? If there is no question at all of… what is there to ask? I have given everything.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Now, what’s the question? I’m standing up and —
Q: Sir, you said earlier or the other night that you are going to Kuwait one of these days. What happened now to your plan?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: [inaudible] what?
Q: That you are going to Kuwait ‘diba sabi mo anytime? Yeah, you’re going to Kuwait anytime — anytime now. So and what is it exactly that you want the Kuwaiti government to do about the problem?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ano ‘yun? Hindi ko man maintindihan itong mga y***.
Q: Sabi mo pupunta kang Kuwait?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, I… ah.
Q: Clarification lang.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Pagkasabi ko, wait and see. ‘Yang… because of the seriousness of the problem ,I would have wanted to…
I called the… Secretary Bello brought the America — the Ambassador of Kuwait yesterday.
We had a private talk. I am not privileged to say it to anybody. Kami lang pati yung aide ko. And sinabi ko, if this gets serious or if my appearance before your officials [inaudible] I might, sabi ko 24 hours na, 24 hours notice after talking, I’ll be back.
Problem is he’s looking at the [inaudible] kagabi dyan sa airport ‘yung maliliit, so sabi ko mag-plot na kayo because if you take PAL, it’s too expensive.
So I might be going there then land in Hong Kong, refuel, and then land in Pakistan or India then eventually land somewhere in… o baka Amsterdam tapos diretso. I don’t know.
Pero may plano ako to plead my case there, before them. Kailangan ‘yan eh, nagtataka ako kailangan. Kaya ang tanong, ang rinig ko kanina ano ang.. sira na talaga.. kailan ka mag-pray, g**** ka pala I’ve been all day and all night for my countrymen.
Q: Sir, second question ito na talaga importante. About ICC, when everything is said and done. Aren’t we going to the very basic question of, does ICC have jurisdiction about the case, especially that we are not a failed country and we have a working judiciary and we have already prosecuted two presidents before?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sabi ko those are the things that are basic. A treaty, when you incorporate it as part of the laws of the land, cannot be higher than the Constitution.
Q: So it has no jurisdiction?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi mo pinublish (publish) eh. How am I suppose to know na ang extrajudicial killing, ‘di ‘yung pangalawa na sana naghinto na.
Wala man nagsabi sa mga killer diyan na… ‘yung mga killer hindi nakabasa. Hindi nga nakabasa ng Philippine daily ‘yan. ‘Yung newspaper mo, Star.
By the way, PMS because hindi ko kasi maabot ‘yan. [Saan ba ang PMS dito? Saan?] I will have to make this public because I want mayor Belmonte to know it.
‘Yung bulaklak ko doon sa isang patay, doon kay byuda ni senator Puyat, pinaalis ng PMS kahapon pagdating ng bulaklak ko ipinalit. Sinabi ‘Itabi mo yan kasi ayaw ni Mayor ‘yan si Congressman Belmonte.’ O mayor ba ‘yun or anak?
Q: Vice mayor si Joy po, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Siya ang may bulaklak?
Q: Ang vice mayor ‘yung babae, ‘yung bata. Congressman si —
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Whose flower was it?
Q: I don’t know Sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: So saan ninyo nakuha ‘yan na galit ako kay Belmonte? Na whenever I go out of town, or foreign trip — [inaudible] Bakit ninyo ginawa na ano? So I better have a good explanation or else, it’s about time that we have a revamp in that…
I do not like one, first thing any theory about a quarrel with anybody lalo na sabihin niyo balang araw kay Bebot itabi mo o kay senator… papatayin ko kayo.
You know, you are putting me into a snake pit there which I do not… wala man akong kalaban diyan. Maski ‘yang kay Roxas ilagay mo diyan. Kung si Roxas na, ewan ko. Sabi ni [inaudible] kung kay Roxas na ang bulaklak, sige lang.
Q: Okay. Thank you, sir.
Q: Sir, with the ban will you recommend to the consular offices in the Middle East, especially in Kuwait to have an active hot line because the OFW are complaining, the distressed ones. They cannot connect with the consular office and they are given shabby treatment by employees of our own government there.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kaya nga there should be a supervisor everyday walking about, thereabout.
There should be… we should know the specific addresses of the workers. I said that they have to stop getting the passports of the workers.
They keep it kaya hindi makagalaw so there’s other thing that’s the job of Bello.
So you better ask Secretary Bello, not me. I do not negotiate with them. As of now it’s banned. Period. Wala akong… I do not want to add or take away anything from the statement. Hanggang diyan lang ako. If there is something for me to say, let Bello and Congressman Bertiz and maybe Senator Manny. Wala akong pakialam diyan basta bahala sila.
Q: One more question, Mayor. The Lumads of Mindanao who just went home after the conference but two of them were killed and they are asking you for protection. What should be done in their plight?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: In the meantime, they would just live near the camps of the military.
Or if they want, if they are well trained enough, give me about three months, I will train them as CAFGU and give them firearms and go out and hunt for those who killed their comrades.
If you got 1 NPA, I said also, I will pay you. I’ll [unclear] a reward. Isang NPA mapatay ninyo, kayong mga Lumad na maging CAFGU, I’ll pay you… you want money? I’ll give you money.
I will make it 20,000 per head. Sige. Marami mang pera ang gobyerno. Kung magbayad kayo ng tax ninyo mas lalong marami ako.
Q: Thank you sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: [Speaks Bisaya]
Q: Good evening, Mayor President. Sir dati po, nabanggit niyo na pwede tayong mag-withdraw sa ICC, option pa rin po ba ‘yun ng Pilipinas?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: na mag?
Q: ‘Yung mag-withdraw sa ICC membership?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I do not want to appear na I’m trying to avoid liability. Basta sinabi ko lang na, eh kung ganun ang style nila, karami ngayong mass rape. Bakit ako?. Ang namamatay dito kriminal. Ang mabuti sana kung walang namatay sa pulis ko pati sundalo ko.
Remember that war in the Marawi siege started with the service of a writ of arrest. The charge was shabu.
O, look what happened. There was war. I lost about 100 — [pila akong namatay, Bong?]
164 policemen and soldiers. Tapos sabihin mo extrajudicial killing? u*** kang p*****. Kaya gusto ko siyang kausapin eh.
Even if she has filed a case, I will ask her to take the witness stand. I will go there to hear my case. Ilagay ko siya diyan.
Alam mo, days before, mayroon na akong ano — and I knew that there was miscommunication na, “o sige magkita tayo doon after, before the announcement of — it would be on Tuesday.”
Kaya nung Tuesday hinintay namin, wala. Alam ko lahat ‘yan, sabihin mo sa kanya, alam ko. Days before mayroon na akong — sila Loida ‘yan. Loida pati itong mga — [inaudible] may complete transcript na ako diyan niyan.
Alam ko, kaya sabi ko, basta marami kang kaibigan na sikat, kaibigan ko man si Putin, China. Alam mo kaagad. Sige man ‘yan sila [speaks Bisaya]
—END—
[start of livestream part 2]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: …Pabinyagan ko. Gawain kong ninong si Lucio Tan pati si Joy — si Lance, oo.
Kaya ang regalo nila, i-advance na lang nila magpadala ng eroplano kunin nila ‘yung mga Pilipino. Sila ang maging ninong, gawain ko silang ninong, pabinditahan ko lahat ‘yang mga buang na ‘yan.
Q: [Off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Basta they will come home in 72 hours. In 72 hours.
Q: [Off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: [Bungol?] man ‘yan. 2020.
Q: [Off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: O makauwi na ‘yan 2020. I want them repatriated in 72 hours or at least they should know that pack up because your going home.
Q: [Off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Again?
Q: [Off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Bakit mo pilitin, eh kung ang amo nila mga opisina. Domestic helper karamihan diyan. Eh kung they are employed by foreign companies eh ‘di bakit mo — sabihin mo na, Duterte loko-loko ka ba? Sabi ko, hindi, si Regalado.
—END—