Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
ARRIVAL STATEMENT OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
FOLLOWING HIS STATE VISITS TO CAMBODIA AND SINGAPORE
[Delivered at Davao International Airport, Davao City| 16 December 2016]
Kindly sit down. Thank you.
Alam mo sa totoo lang, I’m a guy that’s not really up to traveling. I hate to travel. If not for the urgings of the Department of Foreign Affairs that I have to make the rounds among the ASEAN countries, I think I still have one but really, it’s tiring and I’ve always avoided — but they say that it’s part of my duty.
I am glad to be back from my State Visits to the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of Singapore.
Both visits gave me the opportunity to further strengthen our ties with our key neighbors and partners.
In Phnom Penh, I was welcomed by the King Norodom Sihamoni. And in my audience — Royal Audience, I stressed the value of our long-standing relations and reaffirmed the resolve to broaden collaboration.
In my meeting with the Prime Minister Hun Sen, we recognized the importance of working closely together to address the menace of the illegal drugs.
We also discussed ways of strengthening cooperation against traditional and emerging transnational crimes.
To advance this shared agenda, the Philippines and Cambodia signed an agreement of our police agencies to cooperate on combatting these crimes.
The Philippines is ready to work with all stakeholders in our region and beyond in order to address threats to the peace, safety and security of nations.
The Philippines and Cambodia have a significant portion of our population working overseas. We, therefore, resolved to do all that we can to uphold, promote and protect their rights and interests.
We signed an agreement in the area of labor to ensure ready assistance to our nationals, particularly in the situation of distress and in areas of social unrest.
We also noted the growing links between our peoples and the need to strengthen these human bridges of understanding and mutual respect.
Our recently-signed Executive Program on Tourism Cooperation and the Agreement on Sports Cooperation will open new avenues of greater exchanges and interactions between our peoples.
After Cambodia, I proceeded to Singapore where I met President Tony Tan Keng Yam and the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Similar, Singapore is a valued partner with whom we share similar challenges and the same commitment to advance the interest of our countries.
As the Philippines’s fourth largest trading partner, Singapore stands to benefit from a safer and more secure environment for trade and commerce.
Terrorist elements and other radical extremist forces undermine what we have worked hard for so long. The Philippines and Singapore will work closely and effectively to confront this challenge.
We will intensify exchanges and coordinate on the best practices and the lessons learned to enhance our capacities to address terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization.
We will also use the resources at our disposal – including modern technology – to rid our maritime areas of threats such as piracy, kidnapping, human trafficking and gunrunning.
At the same time, we also stressed the danger posed on our respective societies by the illicit drug trade that is now tearing our social fabric apart and depriving our youth of our countries of their future.
Our efforts to combat illegal drugs will be relentless and comprehensive. With the support and assistance of our friends and the Philippines’ new budget, we are on track towards realizing our envisioned holistic strategy to effectively address illegal drugs.
In both my State Visits, I underscored that the Philippines is open for business and that we seek intensified two-way trade and investments.
We are in a position to welcome investments in key sectors such as Private Public Partnerships, infrastructure, telecommunications, Information Technology.
Our private sector is now poised to grow and seek new frontiers for Philippine business to thrive beyond our shores.
Side by side, I have secured the commitment of businesses from Singapore, our fourth largest trading partner, to sustain their current investments and seek areas of partnership.
Meantime, we will work with Cambodia and Singapore bilaterally and in the ASEAN setting, in order to achieve common goals of greater peace, progress and prosperity.
I ran on a campaign of a clean government. I said before that corruption will have no place in my government. Now that I am President, I reaffirm this commitment.
Consistent with this electoral campaign, I have directed the dismissal of the two associate commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration who are now tainted with corruption.
They will be held accountable for their actions. They will face the full force of the law.
On this and on all my promises, I give you my word. As President, I shall work tirelessly to ensure all these promises become a reality.
Help me take our country and our people to a better place we all deserve.
Maraming salamat po.
I can maybe take a few questions. I’ve been having this headache for two days now. [unclear] position na because you [unclear] have a stiff neck when you are talking to somebody and my schedule was really — I really don’t know why you have to do that to me. Every hour on the hour. Really, I started at one and I ended up talking to the Filipino community. That is how I travel from one end of the city to another. I didn’t even have to , the time to — I was running to buy a sock. I didn’t have the time, really. I’ve used all that — there were only four so I hate to use one that have been used already. So I can take a few questions.
SEC. ANDANAR: We have five reporters, Mr. President and one is from German Television. We have one question [name]. Over here please.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes sir, can you please come over so that I can — I slept and I have this air that — not to come out.
Q: Sorry for my [look?] By criminalizing drugs and drug use, you go the same way as the United States and Colombia, you fight a war against drugs. But both countries failed. Why do you think you will succeed?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Why do—?
Q: Why do you think you will succeed? The Philippines.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Succeed?
Q: Yes.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah, Ah well, I’ve been a prosecutor before I became a mayor and the only thing that was really hampering me from reacting to it immediately is that I didn’t have the money. I am a President that went in midterm. I am operating half of the budget that was left to me by my predecessor. And the campaign at the sloganeering was bottoms up. And so I am only left with an amount that is only good for operating and maintenance expenses.
At the time when it was…there’s nothing in the budget which says that this event will happen and that a lot of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos have already been infected with…I knew that I was the mayor here. I knew that it was…then I know now that there’s a very serious problem but I was very strict and maybe I am not really into pulling my own chair.
But Davao recorded the highest local…the growth rate of Davao was hitting 9 and that is really high for a local unit at this time. And yet we were able to blossom with glory. Davao is a little bit safe. You can go around, nobody would…chances are you’d would go back to your hotel alive 95%.
But when I became President, I started to press everybody. Then I’m sure you were around when you saw hundreds of thousands infected. I said, government had no money then. I could not get money from one department to another and juggle them because I said before in this forum, that would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. We’ll just have to wait.
Were it not for China…a good soul there, he is a billionaire. He was the one who built the first rehab center good for 10,000 people. Can you imagine that? And I had to order the military to open their camps because we do not have that kind of area where we can place them—recreational facilities and then sports, to wean them away if it’s still possible.
But you know, shabu…constant use of shabu and everybody there on the long-term use have shrunk brains and therefore, no longer viable for the rehab. You’ve got…I really do not know how many of the 4 million already infected are with brains that no longer work. So that’s what I mean because you have to segregate them. They are all insane. And for all intents and purposes, actually they’re good for insane asylums.
The other which still can be saved, next year we will be building the rehab then I’ll have the money. As a matter of fact I’ve scraped the bottom of government funds, it’s year-ending and I ordered the release…well, whatever was there. One billion, just to distribute it to the hospitals all over the Philippines and for those who really want to be cured. In the meantime, just stay home, lock the door, do not go out…do not go out to the streets and hunt again for prey because if I see you there I’ll pick you up. And I will bring you to Bataan—Zambales, rather. Was it Nueva Ecija? I’m sorry. Fort Magsaysay, that’s the biggest military reservation in the country.
I said pick up. You do not pick up the…and throw him to hell. Pick him up and get him into a forced detention. In the law it’s called involuntary detention. So I can move faster and a lot of also people. China again promising another big rehab. So, may I just say this: for all of the created you know, China is this and that especially it was the time of the communist.
China has the kindest soul of all and I understand that we have been stricken out of the Millennium Challenge, well good. I welcome it. Actually, in exchange for the 400 million. You think that you can cure the 4 million, rather? By the simply with these challenges of what? 400 million. I can…China has…you know, China communicated to us. They’re giving us 50 billion. So what do I need for America for?
They do not look at us kindly. We have this huge problem and you exacerbate by — no, actually we do not need it. We can survive without American money. But you know, America, you might also be put to notice. Prepare to leave the Philippines. Prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement. Because if we are a country that is very dangerous. If you think that there is crime there because we execute people, there are so many soldiers…they are the natural enemies of the Moro land.
So why don’t you just leave and if you think that there is extrajudicial killing here—it’s a prevalent one, it’s a virulent practice, you know. So why are you here? What is your purpose in this Visiting Forces Agreement? We will never be ready to fight with China. It is you who is egging a fight there. We will never fight with Russia. That’s too far away and besides, we are friends, I said.
The cancellation of the 23,000 firearms which we were supposed to get it from you say, one of your senator, a smart aleck said that we should not get it because of the violation of human rights.
Then Russia came forth and said ‘no problem.’ As I use the word, buy one take one. China is actually, I’ll tell you now, I’ll tell you in [unclear] China has been communicating with us everyday and I think I think I’ll send the Defense Secretary. They said the guns are ready. It’s here. We want to give it to you. What do you want? Do you want us to deliver? Then to you or you, you make arrangements with your Navy and get it from us. That’s the truth. And I said, sabi niya, how much do I owe you and I said, none. What did they do to you to help protect your nation and to protect everybody else from the rampaging drugs?
So what’s new? America loses 40 thousand. It’s really…it’s not state-sponsored. Do you think…you look at the…our soldiers. Do you think they will obey an illegal order? Foremost among the cardinal rules is that they are not supposed to implement or order illegal. These soldiers, they’re generals, they’re the best. Some from the integrity, others from the network, most of them come from the Philippine Military Academy. You cannot order them illegal. They would not follow you.
They will oust you if you force upon them illegal acts. That’s the truth. They just don’t know the Philippine setting and the Filipino. Most of the police force, I think the last batch no more military or PMA-ers or military men. But they will not obey me. You ask any soldier there. They will stage a coup d’etat if you do that. You put them on jeopardy. Baka hindi niyo alam yan. The soldiers of the Republic of the Philippines are not stupid. They went to the Military Academy for four years. Everyday it’s always the Constitution and the flag. They don’t even, you know, cultivate this cult in blind obedience to a leader.
So everything is…we are, we are glad that we are freed from proving anything to the United States. We do not need the money. China said they will provide so many…and we will give you the money. So, ba-bye America and work on the protocols that would eventually move you out from the Philippines.
You know, tit for tat. If you know this, if you can do this, so do we. It ain’t a one-way traffic. If you do not recognize the awesome enormity and the hugeness of the problem of how to treat four million addicts. Instead of even helping with the medicines at the outset, they just went ahead to shout about human rights. But how about the four billion human rights? You seem to keep a blind eye and insist on human rights. To me I have a burden of building a nation, continuing with existence. And there are four, five thousand dead and you want to exchange it with what? You don’t even know who killed whom and for what.
If I were to say now, I violated the human rights, tell me who was the 120th victim. For what reason, and what was used? Tanong ko lang kayo. Five thousand? Eh sino yung pangalan ng ika-five thousand na pinatay? Are you sure they were all killed by the military and the police? Extrajudicial killing? You guys must be crazy.
Look at this…there’s a…I’ve read in the briefer—the amnesty officer for the far east and he said that “Duterte admitted the killing and it will promote impunity.” This stupid idiot—would somebody tell him that he is really stupid and idiot. I say that my admission of killing a crime suspect, did not even say “criminal,” look at the…the way how, how they play with semantics. Ours is “sonofab*tch” that they…p****** ina , that’s sonofab*tch and you choose the word, “w****” to make it more profound and vile. Look at these idiots playing. They want to control the world. I did kill.
I was only three months mayor in 1988. Alam ninyong taga-Davao. You know, all Davaoeños know that. They were picking victims right in the middle of the downtown area. Sa [uyangco?] rin dinampot nila yung babae kasama yung boyfriend. They were just into this…there used to be a Betamax, you have to go to an outlet and rent one. They just picked up the woman and brought her to Cotabato and they detained her for 2 months. One day, they sent feelers of… to the family and she’s still alive. She is now a doctor, the woman…sent feelers to the parents that they were going to surrender or return the hostage, I don’t want to mention the name. Sabi nila in exchange for 2 million not to tell the police but the parents whispered to me.
So, on that fateful night, they were travelling. I was there with retired police Elson Estares and two others because they never expected that they would pass this way but they would return. It is not done. Usually if you pass in this area, you pass only once. You do not go back and…but the troops were there surrounding the house. So when we heard somebody inside, he’s a brave guy, Lima, he was the one I told. You go there because he was a shooter. I said could you take out three persons at one time, he said yes.
Okay you will be that inside the bedroom. And when she said the birdie, “birdie” is safe. So they went down and it was covered by the televisions. The networks were just at the background. So, when they refused to stop, we saw a carbine pointed at us. We were parked nearby. So, the shooting started and I was one holding a…I was holding a .45 but you know, when I saw them coming back to our direction, I grabbed my M16, American-made, mind you…to kill criminals. Not extrajudicial, there was a firefight. And I said there were about only three of us there.
So, I might have hit them all or none at all. But the fact is I was there and I fired at them. It was a pure case of kidnapping. It happened during my first term in 1988. And here comes an idiot—always an idiot almost all of them are, saying that my admission, that I shot the suspect, they were not suspect. You idiotic. I don’t know from where you are. To us I was not a suspect, I was in a shootout and many others in my career of the 23 years. I am a mayor that cannot tolerate oppression of civilians, and many others and small encounters. Another kidnap-killing I was there. It also resulted in a shootout. The family was a…the wife of a small mall here in the city. So what’s wrong in being, you are pictured to be a killer.
So, at least I killed to protect people. I am not here a dictator killing my political opponents to stay in power. And they said that I travel very often. I said, I kept telling you I hate travelling. For the longest time before I became President I did not travel. I never went to America, I never went to any place. The last time was, I don’t know…when I was a congressman. I cannot stand long hauls. I seem to have…I get a jet lag in a very — I might…you want to…because they are planning again Myanmar. I have to make.
But all, I said, I’ll only limit to my fellow ASEANs. If I travel again, it would be Russia. I have to…we’re friends with Putin, and he said, the last time he said:
‘Remember Russia.’ Maybe he wants me to go there to be his guest. We’ll have coffee. When we have coffee, then I’ll go home. But Russia can very be a very important ally. They do not insult people, they do not interfere. And there’s now a pending [unclear] about the Crimea.
There’s now a pending vote there whether or not the invasion of Crimea was a violation of human rights. The West again is cooking up something just to pick — you know, Crimea, if you know your history, it was part of Russia. Prussia. Or regionally, it was Prussia itself who gave Crimea away. Go back into you history, take a few back. It was really part of Russia. So we were voting ‘no,’ it was not — we were not joining the United States in voting, we will align ourselves with what
Well before me, wala. When the United States says dito tayo, dito tayo. We vote here along this line or we vote here along this line. Now? No more. No more. It was you who gave me the reason to be — I would like to thank America for doing such nasty thing.
You gave us sense of direction in our lives and the dignity. You’re always tying up — you do this and you don’t you lose. Come on, America.
You stayed in my country for 50 years. You made us a colony. You lived on the fat of the land. How dare you say you will cut the assistance and aid? We do not need it. Kayo, you — who owe the Philippines an apology and for all the massacres, especially the Moro of Mindanao. P***** ina kayo. Wag kayo mag — kayo ‘yung may utang sa amin. You sat on my land for 50 years; oppressed us for 50 years; killed so many Filipinos. In Samar, because one colonel died of your troops, you massacred all the male above 10 were all killed. That is how civilized you are. Do not even go to us. Just ask your Indian neighbors there in the reservation. You hypocrites. You have the gall to cut off aid. You enjoyed the fat of my land for 50 years. Better shut up, you hypocrites.
Next question?
SEC. ANDANAR: Ms. Regalado, to be followed by Will Ripley of CNN. One question per reporter please, thank you.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: You want to give you a full history of the United States? I’ll give you. If you’re willing to listen until morning time.
Q: Good morning, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, ma’am?
Q: You just said something about America, about withholding the MCC, don’t you think that it is part of a last-ditch efforts of the Obama administration —
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, I think so. Because I have talked to Trump. Trump does not sound hostile or antagonistic to me. And he said that you know, I know that we have a bad fix between our two nations. I said, ‘yes sir. And I’m sorry for that, but it is not really your institutions but people there in the Washington DC.’
Q: So it’s a last-ditch efforts of the Obama administration before he bows out by this month?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well I — Somebody gave me a document that was passed on to me in Hong Kong, it says about undermining Duterte. Maybe they would agitate, well you know, and I said, God says I am the President. God says you are only President for six months, fine, I’ll go. God says you are only good for two years and you will be assassinated, fine. Be my guest.
Q: Sir, second question po sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes?
Q: Sir, there are reports of militarization in the West Philippine Sea by China. How does it affect your — earlier you said about China giving us an — but there were reports already and it’s even a big concern for the US and the other countries.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: In the play of politics, now, I will set aside the arbitral ruling. I will not impose anything on China. Why? Because the politics here in Southeast Asia is changing. Like us now, separating or I will separate or I will demand that they go out of my country. What’s the use of keeping, hosting them when they think we are a bunch of criminals. Go, go out. If you do not believe in us, why deal with us? Son of a —-
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes sir? May I help you? Don’t worry, I’ll be courteous.
Q: Please don’t be mad at me. I would like to know, you spoke very candidly about killing suspects and the motivations behind it. Do you recall how many people you killed? Are you certain that all of them were guilty? Given the fact that you were a prosecutor, they didn’t have due process. And do you feel that all of the people who’ve been killed thus far in you war on drugs, do you believe that they are all guilty? Clearly, there’s collateral damage, there was a six-year-old boy in Manila who was killed this week, his father was a shabu user. And he was sleeping next to his dad.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, things can happen. But these are not state condoned, state sponsored. When I tell you now that I killed, do not term them as suspects because all of them died while they were fighting government people. What I said, what I related to you was this: they tried to escape with the money and we stopped them and we saw carbine, when the windows were open, carbine was pointed at us. That was not there, they were not suspects, I suppose. But by any amount of stretching the imagination, those are people who dared to fight the law. And because I had an M16, I carried one because Davao was then a wild country, I had to restore order and I took the bull by the horns.
In the same manner now that I will inform the nation that I — ako mismo ang humahawak sa drug problem. I’m taking the bull— the problem, by the horn.
It is I who says that you continue with this because of the sheer number of people already contaminated.
Now, when you say suspect, there are some of those really well, to keep them silent, I said there were six generals, seven generals involved, you know, it could be cleansing, it could be part.
But if you rank all of those dead persons on us, then that is not fair. That is — you do not condemn people by speculation. That is what is happening there. Look at the recent amnesty. I said that when I said that I admitted killings so, and the usual suspects.
A suspect is not a criminal, he is a person who may have committed an under-detention but he’s a suspect. Persons of interest, that’s another one. But all those guys, at least a third of all who died, I would admit that a third of them have been killed in police encounters.
You know, you go back to your country. Shabu has taken all of America already. You will have a problem there.
Q: I lost friends to meth. I mean, the scourge of the place where I went to, university. I knew many people whose lives were destroyed. But some of them have been rehabilitated. Do you worry that some people who perhaps could be rehabilitated —
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah, for those who can be rehabilitated, but if the brain is shrunk and it was your forensics who told us that that is the case. They have conducted the — and almost all of them have shrunk brains.
So you do not kill these crazy people because they do not even bother to hide, means to say they are not crazy. You take them into custody, force them into rehab center if it is still possible. If not, because they post danger to society, then they just have to go to an asylum for insane persons. That is also what is done in America so maybe we’d just do it also here.
Q: An estimate of how many people you think you could have killed, that was the first part of my question.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: People?
Q: How many?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Let me count the ways. I love you with the depth, the breath and height for all the souls that might’ — oh, that’s Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Maybe one, two three. I said three, I’m not — I’m saying maybe my bullets hit them maybe not but after the burumbumbumbum, they’re all dead. Another one, especially hostage-taking. There in a hostage taking, better release the hostage before I arrive. Because if I’m, I happen to pass by there and — I’ll count one to three. One, two, three, then that’s it.
Q: Thank you.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I do not negotiate. I do not negotiate with criminals. And even if he says that he has a problem — you know, you cannot place society in danger just because you have a problem. Just because you have a problem with the family or you cannot pay your debts, or you have a bum stomach everytime, they will keep stoning [a fence around?], every 24 hours. The world will not wait to find out what’s wrong with it if you are in danger, holding a gun.
Me? I said, if you decide to go berserk, you take hostage. Be sure that you either kill your hostage and kill yourself because if I am at the scene, I will only count to three and that is your life, one, two, three.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: And they all know it in Davao City, I cannot really count how many but — I have already asked for the forgiveness, given in advance. I say to God, ‘for all my sins and the future sins that I will commit.’ Just to make sure, I may not be able, when the time comes, if I’m assassinated, head, at the back, I may not have time to say my prayer so just to be on the safe side, ‘God forgive me for killing these idiots. If they are your creation anyway, so that was, that is also your problem.’ It’s God’s problem. You create a human monster so if you are God, why do you have to create these idiots? That’s why they die. God should have created law-abiding citizens like us, Philippines.
SEC. ANDANAR: Lala Babilonia of PTV.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Isa pa ‘to, ang ganda. Tapos sabihin sexist. [unclear] that you’re beautiful or call of the ladies that they are beautiful.
Q: Thank you sir. Good evening sir. Sir, some of your, few of your Cabinet members were bypassed by the Commission on Appointments. So are you gonna replace them or reappoint them?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. If the Commission on Appointments reject them, they get hold of the appointments and everything else and if it is rejected, there’s no chance that you can be reappointed. [unclear] but if you are just bypassed, wag na muna ito, kausapin natin si Duterte kung bakit ito, some other time, we will review.
I’m considerate, some future time. I can reappoint. I like the composition of my Cabinet, they’re all good. As a matter of fact, I said, all of them are valedictorians. Totoo yan ha. You can talk of Yasay and you can talk of Esperon. [unclear] from Cotabato City, he was a classmate of Pastor Quiboloy. Pastor Quiboloy said that your Defense Secretary is very brilliant. He was our valedictorian and he was the valedictorian of his class at the PMA.
So lahat yan sila, puro mga — Bebot Bello. He’s got his Masters on the art of womanizing [laughter]. Hindi, hindi, hindi biro lang yun, Bebot, just to — we are all sleepy.
Panelo is a – I am just an ordinary killer if you want to believe the Amnesty and everybody there. I am just an ordinary person. But remember all those brilliant guys, they end up, they work for me.
But you know, I’m trying to do what the law mandates me to do. But more than anything else, over and above Constitutions or the laws, I have that solemn duty to preserve the country, to keep its integrity.
Of what good would it be for a Constitution when just to allow because you are afraid to be charged or attacked for killing, alleged killing or this—- what good would be a Republic of the Philippines if we reach something like 10, 15, 20 million?
We will go down the drain and I will not, I said I put — I said, my life and the office itself, I will not for the life of me, allow my country to be destroyed and for those who would still be there, you have this apparatus of organizations, there is a structure and if you really destroy my country, I will kill you.
If you deprive us of the next generation of Filipinos, our children, our grandchildren, same. I’ll kill you. And that is the order to the police and the military. Do not be so much fascinated by life because we are in a stress right now. Go and destroy the apparatus, that is the only way how to end and to do justice to the 4 million now who are suffering in agony and pain. And the family. It is usually a dysfunctional family and the future of the child.
Alam mo kasi, we are not rich. All of us here, otherwise we would not be in a — up and about. We all work, your work brings you to [gather?] than yours.
The military, they’re here because you know, I’m suppose the commander in chief. But they work 24 hours to keep this country safe. That is our, trabaho lang yan eh. And to say that I am protecting the police, of course that must be crazy, that Marcos incident. I – that was before, even [unclear], I told, wag mong tanggalin yan kasi nagtataka ako pinapalitan ko lahat. Bakit itong si Marcos nalagay na nandiyan pala siya sa listahan?
So I wanted to know how many police personnel there under his command were also contaminated and I could only get it from him. From where? Well, I will not tell you how I would get it. We — we also have the technology and everything. Yun ang totoo. No drama about why Duterte is protecting — of course not.
Of course, he’s implicated, the mayor is dead and so what’s the problem? Now you want to sacrifice Bato and everybody? I will not do that.
Look: If I really control government and have my way in doing things, the Justice Department is under me as the Justice, DILG, Interior and Local Government. I could have ordered something there and say, ‘cook it as if, to make it up.’
But I said, go and investigate. They said it was a rubout, a murder so — and then the police say that he had a gun. Well, when he was able to buy all the police generals there and then you imagine, there’s an exchange and there’s a gun inside.
But anyway I said, I continue to believe the NBIs are just working on theories. We have the verbal testimony of the police. And I’ve said before and I will repeat it again tonight: If you do your duty, go out and look for them, arrest them if it is still possible. If not, if they present a vicious and violent resistance thereby placing your life in jeopardy, kill them and I will protect you.
So everything that is being done or was done in the past, in obedience to that order is actually me. I take full responsibility. There are ways of ousting a president whom you do not like. Go ahead, do it. I will accept any verdict. Or if you want to do away with me then —- but not now because I cannot go out without these guys there over there, those white men. They are a menace to me, not to the public. I cannot even pee outside because they would know. They have this gadget where you can see clearly on open windows of the houses and they would know where you are and that is really my greatest lamentation, totoo ‘yan. I’ve lost my privacy and I’m back to being just crossing the river of Pasig. There’s a tugboat there. tugtugutugtugtugtug. Then go to the other — tugtugutugtugtugtug. When will this end?
At least the government can do something by buying a better-looking even as just a small ship or even a yacht-looking but not really a yacht.
But this tugboat is really tugtugtugutugtug tugtugutugtugtugtug. You might want to suggest to the congressman so — I will ask him, to ask for one if they can give me a nice boat, color white. I really don’t want to— what do you shout when I enter the tugboat? [Pag nag salute, what’s that word?] [Speak Bisaya]
Ngayon ko lang nalaman. [Speaks Bisaya] So you will be salute [cadet?] Yes? Ah, sinabi ko na. You’ll never guess this point in time, tonight.
Q: Good morning, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ano yung bagong intriga? Wala bang ibang drug [unclear].
Q: Sir, ipapa-clarify ko lang. Kanina sabi niyo ba-bye America. Would this mean completely severing ties with them? And when you say the VFA will be abrogated, how soon will you do it and would there be no legal impediments in doing so?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Look. Supreme Court said it is insensitive [unclear] I’m putting them on notice I will decide and it is soon. Go out. Adviser. Meaning to say that you are no better than the Filipino solders? Kalokohan. I do not believe for a moment that they are better than our soldiers here. Tatanggap-tanggap lang tayo kasi di naman tayo —- you know and I understand kasi there’s a loose talk about you know, soldiers because you know, most of them had been to America. I know their feeling. They may be pro-American but they should also consider the dignity of the nation. And for all of those guys, the military men. Wag naman tayong babuyin ng ganun. Alam natin ang problema. We have this 4 million and you are treated as if you are a garbage or a doormat.
And the Philippines historically parang doormat kasi everytime that they criticize us, it’s always tied to a statement na mawala ang indiong assistant. Sabi ko, para tayong mga patay gutom itong mga p***** inang ‘to. You picture us as if we are patay gutom. It’s a Visayan idiom, I don’t know if it’s also with the Tagalog.
Pero yung picture na, ‘o do not do this because you will lose the food, the assistance. Anak —Binabastos mo kami ng ganun tapos kayo dito 50 años yumakayaka kayo dito sa amin, kinuha niyo lahat.
Q: Pero kung meron kayang masasabi si President-elect Trump that would change you mind —-
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yan ang problema Doris because I have to take the cue from Trump not from Obama. I’m suire pang ganti lang yang kanya kasi minura ko sila lahat eh. Bakit naman? Why should I not pull at you when you are saying so many things about — I said one is you be careful about the Orientals. You do not know the sincerity of the Oriental, it goes for all. It could be the Indonesia and China.
Do not ever, ever say those words. Look for another venue or forum and say it there. Do not do it when you are threatening, when you are talking to me, you reprimand me as if I am your sheriff. We are members of the United Nations, right? Then why don’t you compliant there in the United Nations and ask a forum there? It could be UNICEF, World Health Organization or the Human Rights Commission to make a report and then when the report is there, you can call our attention and you can give us the right to be heard.
‘Yan ang problema, nakalimutan ninyo yan. You gave us a constitution but you are b***s***ing it. There is there in the constitution the right to be heard. You do not have any manners. Just go out, the lady from the State Department. You, as if you’re lecturing to somebody, why is your janitor there ins Washington DC? You better behave you are like that that’s why you have so many enemies. Most of the countries do not like you.
You go to the Middle East, you go to Europe, even the average French there would just smirk.
Now you found somebody to — Alam mo, for as long as that State Department does not behave you will find so many enemies and because I have talked to Trump, he was very nice, very courteous, I could not sense any hostile drift, or even the manner he was saying it so indifference I’ll just wait. I will let Obama fade away and If he disappear then I will begin to reassess but if I have the time I would like to say to the Americans, come here they have a very good ambassador, of Korean descent. He’s very courteous also.
In deference to the new set of the — I’ll just —- it’s the timing actually. If I will still get the raw end of all of these things and — but we — I’m not inclined to side with you anymore, personally I don’t know about the soldiers but you just — I know, I know your feeling — most of you have been there. But I’m sure most of you have also been there and experienced the bigotry. I know that. Some who went there — It’s really not the treatment.
You go to China. There are no soldiers training in China. There are no policemen. And I’ll be sending my military men also to — nothing really except to train there or whatever, maybe the weapons used now, so that we have a good learning of how this planet resolved. So any other question?
I am begging you now to asked the question. What happened to your hair? You looked old. Baka magalit. O sige maganda ka, very young. Sorry ha, she looks beautiful—sige kailan ngayong araw na ito?
Q: Kahapon po, December 16.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah sige, we’ll still catch up. You, you join me tomorrow, I’m going to Pacquiao, but I’ll go to Zamboanga because there are about 12 wounded soldiers again. I’ll have to show my solidarity. At least the soldier would feel that there is a grateful nation.
Q: Sir good morning po. Isa po kayo sa Most Powerful Leaders ng Forbes. Reaction niyo po?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ako?
Q: Opo.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, I don’t need it. I don’t really. I said, I’m not powerful. I’m just a running a country. Hindi naman tayo first, second, maybe an emerging country but not — I — nakokornihan ako, I find it very corny. I do not even impose my leadership on the Filipino people. I have no power, if the power means that, if it means that killing, attributing to the 5,000 makes me a powerful man by killing Filipinos, that is a shame. I do not accept the title. I—no I’m not. Wala man ako, so what’s the basis? If it’s killing 5,000 people to make me powerful — you think I enjoy killing Filipinos?
Q: Hi sir good morning. Sir earlier today or yesterday deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles filed their resignation from Immigration–?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.
Q: —Sir may we just clarify, are these the two associate officers that you were referring to? Or are there still other immigration officers that you will be recommending or that you will be dismissing sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I asked the resignation of one General, two associate commissioners and Jack Lam. He wanted to come home, I said I’d welcome you. Maybe he’s afraid to be prosecuted because — it could be and no one else that’s attempted bribery. If I were Jack Lam — but I’ll be sequestering all of his properties. Lahat, why? He cheated on us.
Taxes — Alam mo naglalaro sila dito. Yung dito, nababayad sila ng taxes but for the outside of the Philippines betting, that is something else and we have not been able to much we have lost.
So just in case you’d want to know what will happen, I am sequestering, ordering the sequestering of properties. And maybe, I can get as much as I want because— well, Dulay and everybody says that we’ve been cheated on for so long.
He was parlaying a permit that was given him by Corazon Aquino. So while he was just enjoying paying one percent p****** inang, maswerte ka, while all the others are paying 10 percent, ikaw all these years and when you talk in public it was as if everybody in government was in your pocket. That’s why I ordered his arrest. I called NBI in the wee hours of the morning, sabi ko arestuhin mo.
You do not — kung magsalita siya para bang ang lahat ng opisyal diyan nasa bulsa niya because he was into corruption. I got pissed off, and I said arrest him. And they say walang kaso, never mind. Kaso kaso — there is no case, there is no case, we will find a case and I’m just sorry that he was able to leave the country pala three days before.
So that this is the warning to everybody: If you have proof that you are bribing anybody or if anyone in the government is asking money from you and doing it legit reported to me immediately and I will protect if you are — you tell me the truth. But if you are there into corruption giving money I will not wait, you know I will not wait for the case to be filed.
For example, just a lecture, short lecture on the law and it’s processes. Alam mo while he was conducting the gambling and accepting bets outside and not paying taxes, at that very moment he was committing a crime already. So the NBI hindi naman masyadong walang kaso—pu****** inang kaso kaso. Hulihin mo. Because he was there, the gambling was going on and they were accepting outside bets without paying the taxes.
So what’s the crime? The crime is the people of the Philippines and Rodrigo Duterte against –sabi ko hulihin mo. I-detained mo diyan sa pinaka mabaho na presinto. Yung wala, ‘yung walang working, doon mo siya ilagay –huwag ninyo akong, do not corrupt people. If you are into corruption, go out of business for a while. Anyway six years lang ako after that, you can have your way again. I really don’t mind, in fairness to the one that’s succeeding. But for now I said I’m going to give the Philippines a respite of the corruption all of these years.
That is why we have not improved as a country because people in government — BIR, Customs, lahat ‘yan. Good that Faeldon is very strict. They have, as a matter of fact, exceeded their quota of collection already. Si Billy lang ang medyo nahirapan, ang BIR but I have a full faith in the guy we were together in the dormitory. He has the integrity to — Ilocano ‘yan, Bagiuo. Bebot is from Isabela namatay ‘yung ano mo ha, Palanan? So you get to appoint the Vice mayor iyo ‘yun, hindi? You are running for governor diba after this? Yes sir?
SEC. ANDANAR: Last question, Mr. President, is from [Japanese].
Q: My name is Ishiyama, editorial writer of Kyodo News. So many Japanese people still very much interested in you and your ideas and your political models. Could you say any portions who you admire or you respect in modern history? If you have?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Thank you but that would be too superfluous, I think. I would rather that I be judged when I’m no longer here. When I die, they can write all the good and bad things about me. But as of now, mind you, since you are here. It’s not because that you are here from Japan.
Japan has — like a China, has very sensitive — they even talk in whispers. See the Japanese? The Japanese has a very courteous culture pati kung magsalita yan sila parang pabulong. You can never hear them talk them aloud and very sincere and I’d like to assure you that I would like to be friends with everybody and the biggest donor to the Philippines is Japan and thank you.
And even this airport. The blue print of this was with JICA. Japanese international assistance, kanila ito, itong JICA ang blue print nito. They made up for us, free and so many things so many—that Japan is one country I would never, never hurt. And you will never hear me talk about Japanese because there are so— your people are so generous and very courteous. And always, they are sensitive just like any other to — you know, people’s feeling.
Japan is really outstanding on that—when they talk to you they talk in whispers. And you can never hear them interfering in the affairs of other nation. And if you go back there, please bring with you the warm wishes of the Filipino people to your Minister Abe and the Japanese people.
Me, you just consider me as one who’s trying his best. When I die, then I would just say that in my two epitaph, the man who tried his best. That’s it. The greatest honor to me is that I tried to serve my nation the best way I could but I am—I cannot stand oppression anf crime, especially on the hapless people and of course especially the poor ones. I don’t want any oppression.
We do not have the money now but in the fullness of God’s time, Philippines will rise and I said I want my countrymen happy and comfortable, that is all my dream, nothing else. I have no ambitions of becoming — as a matter of fact if the — this I can, I’ll give you my word: once the — because federalism is the only solution, maniwala kayo sa akin.
Without federalism gulo talaga and I don’t know how to, how it would end but I can very well tell you that — how it will develop and especially also with the communist. This is our last chance because we are now talking. I was able to convince everybody to just to talk. And except for this Maute extremist, to which I ordered a full-blown military campaign, everything is doing well and we will start talking substantially and with concrete proposals next year.
December, there’s no more time because of the festivities but if I can just find the peace that my country needs, I will be very happy. And if the federalism — I will call for a commission. If it can be crafted in two to three years and it will provide a president elected by the people again, I will step down. I will not wait for my six years.
If there is there — the federalism and we’re able to craft the nation base on the federal set up but with the strong president, of course I’m disqualified but — no, it doesn’t really matter whether If I can run again or not.
I will not be running. As a matter of fact I said, eh kung ano tayo ngayon so we are on 2016 if by 2018 it’s there, it’s done, I will step down. I give my word, I will step down as President and you can call for an election, no problem with me.
Wala akong mag-ambisyon na magpatalagalan. I do not crave for power. I have been in power 40 years here, 23 years as mayor, congressman and vice mayor. I don’t need to crave for it. I already had it and it’s not fun to be running, tapos na ako diyan sa adulation and admiration and all and the shouts and the applause. I’m past that stage I don’t need it really.
Craft a constitution, federal type in two years and I will gladly resign or step down from my position, okay? Anything else? May pahabol pa si Bigornia.
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Silang lahat, pati ‘yung isang military. There is somebody there, also an ex-military. Yung isa general, retired general. Pati itong dalawang abogado and you know what? They are my fraternity brothers if you must know. They’re from San Beda and they are my fraternity brothers. But I told Bong Go, tell them to resign. You’re fired.
Q: President, quick follow up lang. do you have plans of imposing amassive overhaul on the bureau after this two high ranking officials involved in the corruption?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Dahan-dahan lang kasi the problem with massive lay outs and you know, alam mo iba diyan hindi ko pinapalitan kasi pag mawalaan ng trabaho ang pamilya niyan walang ng makain.
Especially the rank and file, those do not have discretioning power. Walang discretion. Mechanical. Kung ano lang ang sabihin ng doon sa itaas ‘yun na ‘yun ta-trabahuhin nila and these are the people I’d like to protect from the, what do you call it, from the anong — damay. Ito ‘yung walang kasalanan, mahirap kasi may mga anak yan. Yung iba nasa college, mahinto ang pag-aral ng mga tao pati pagkain.
Just like the police, the police once the case is filed they go hungry, why? They are suspended immediately. Eh p****** ina basta ka na lang tulak ng tulak kayong mga pulis pulis.
Ako na mismo ang sinasabi ko, I’m taking the bull by its horn so alam ko ‘yung ano kaya ako nagtataka kung bakit nabalik ‘yung Marcos, sabi ko pag-aralan. Sabi ko mayroon na ‘yan kung ganoon katagal he must have extended his anew so let us first find out maski na walang ‘yung Albuera o — I would still have — hayaan mo muna and tanungin mo the right to be heard.
Itong sila sabi mag-resign eh di mag resign kayo. They offered to resign ‘eh dinismiss ko na kaagad. Because they offer to resign so nag pre-empt na ako. Sabi ko out. Walang — makinig ‘yung buong bayan, huwag kayo sa panahon ko, huwag sa panahon ko. Ibigay mo ‘yung taxes kasi sigurado ninyo pupunta talaga ‘yan sa tao.
I give you my solemn na ‘yung pera ninyo pupunta talaga sa tao. Walang problema ‘yan. At saka yung lahat ng mga pasugalan gusto ko may mga special economic zones dito na mayroong pasugalan na hindi natin alam walang bayad-bayad ng taxes. Well, this has to end. Even how powerful you are, there’s always a time for you to follow the law. Do not make yourself special from the rest of the Filipino.
SEC. ANDANAR: Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes? Sige magsalita ka. Oo, dito para marinig kita.
Q: Sir point of clarification lang po. As far as the two ‘yung ano BI commissioners are concerned, ‘yung brod mo, mga brod mo. Ganito na lang po, I understand that there will be an investigation and that iss going to be conducted.=
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Of course, automatic ‘yan.
Q: So what if the outcome of that probe will that they be meted with the — whatever is the result of the investigation or would there be a chance for them to be reistated?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Not in a million, not in a million. Let the law take it course. Tutal ginawa mo ‘yan eh di pasensiya ka. You know, think about Murphy’s law. If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Ganoon ‘yan, so I’m sorry but sabi ko brod, [kamuya muya?]
So the law is the law and sabi ko for all of my—lahat — relatives ko, do not do it. If you want a legitimate negosyo — ‘yan lang naman ang ano diyan, do it right and everything is okay.
Yes ma’am do you want to say something? You are a reporter also? Ikaw oo, ikaw ma’am. Hala nakalimutan mo magtanong.
Q: Good morning sir, I’m Athena imperial from GMA 7. Is Commissioner Chan included in the officers that were fired or dismissed in the Bureau of Immigration?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Immigration, immigration is headed by Morente.
Q: Is Commissioner Chan included?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I know he is good. And I do not believe that he was part of it. He used to be my Chief of Police noon dito. City police director saka ‘yan si Bato, pulis, lahat ng dumaan ng ano, lahat ng dumaan ng — si Coy, he’s undersecretary of — puro may pwesto sila. But they are all good. I would not place them in the government if — at least sila sumusunod, pag sinabi ko sa kanila huwag, huwag ‘yan. Pag sinabi ko ayaw ko ‘yan, ‘yang naman wala naman akong personal — I have no personal stake there. Wala akong hiningi para sa sarili ko. Just do it right I said and serve the people period, That’s all, ‘yun lang yung hinihingi ko. Serve your country and do it right.
Q: So it’s only your fraternity brads Algosino and Robles and the general, Calima?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes and let’s see what develops.
Q: Okay.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It is an evolving thing and many things would crop up. So hindi natin malaman ang totoo, let the investigation proceed.
Q: Thank you very much sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sige, wala na? My friend, still want a follow up? Let me clear you doubts. If you have one. If you think that I’m lying, tell me straight. Let — time to clear, time to level up to —with each other.
Q: I’m frightened now. Last time you were kind of off to take my my question, I asked you if you were rooting for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Can you tell me now who you were rooting for?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Actually in the liking of my character, it was really Trump all along and you can ask them. Because I like his mouth [laughter]
Q: I can understand why you might.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: You said, you said so. We talk in the same language and I like your mouth it’s like mine, he said “yes Mr. President” we’re similar” and you know, people with the same feather flocks together.
Q: So when you said earlier the United States businesses can pack their bags and leave as a result of the criticism over the alleged human rights violations. Do you expect that your, your opinion may change or improve under the new US President-elect? You think the relationship will improve?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. No, because if the world thinks that I did is to be — to just investigate. And investigation in a partial one will do better that just one person maybe backing you up. It ain’t enough actually.
Q: What will it take you to improve your relationship with the United States?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well I said I have plans of terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement and I would like to—not you of course, I was referring to the military. I do not want to see foreign military troops for that matter. Not only American, Canadian or whatever, Australian. I do not want them in my country.
I have so many uniformed men already, why do I have to add it by going into an exercise of — you know, nothing can beat the Filipino soldiers. You know I have observed that. This is no, no offense. These guys after the fight, your soldiers? They’ll go to the camp, order ham and egg and they want to sleep in air-conditioned rooms. And even if it’s a tent, it’s air-conditioned.
Filipino soldiers, they would just stay in the jungle. Maybe if there is not enough food for everybody corned beef, spam, sardines they will just gobble it and fight another day.
Q: Corned beef, spam and sardines all at once?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah
Q: Do they eat that?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah also.
Q: How?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, they don’t cook it actually they let it drag. Really, you should have your stead with the Filipino soldiers. Who are into the ways of really sacrifice and that’s why during my term I ordered, give them all they want.
I said I want them new boots, new — no complaint, no. New uniform. I said we were about to buy the M16s but unfortunately it was supposed to be [unclear] that’s the distributor. It’s an America—its originally a German corporation, then America.
Q: Why are you saying it would re-balance the entire military power structure in this part of the world because the United States’ legitimacy for patrolling the waters of the Philippines is the alliance with the Philippines so if you’re calling for that to change, it really changes the game out there?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: You have this from Japan, then the islands there at the back, you have the San Diego, These are all military. Or at least pro-military, US then you have the Philippines down the coast line, then somewhere there you have some bases there.
Then you go to island there towards Malaysia they have a station there and down towards Indonesia they have station there. So you see actually they are almost encircling China. I don’t know if the missiles are there but in my country I will never allow it. It’s not good and so almost at the back you have this island there it’s a military base then down here, there’s Taiwan they have an air base just a few minutes.
Japan, North Korea is there actually it’s—so Philippines is a part of the pivot kasi I don’t know, we don’t have the missiles eh but I want—they asked for it. I’ll give it to them.
How? America is asking for it, provoking me into so many things. Be careful of what you may wish, it might be given to you.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘O kayo diyan sa likod, wala, wala kayo? Wala kayong masabi sa akin? Baka pag talikod ko backbite kayo ha, bantay kayo sakin. Let call it a day and thank you
—END—