(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
SPEECH OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING THE OATH-TAKING OF PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE STAR RANK OFFICERS
[Delivered at Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace | 30 August 2017]
Kanina ba nakikinig ako sa… [Sit down.] Sorry.
Meron naman na isang patay na IED… I remember I bought two pieces of IED ‘yung suit para mag-ano in Davao. Many years ago but still serviceable.
Sabi ko kay Chief PNP na tawagan ‘yung ano — tawagan ‘yung Davao. Pati ‘yung pulis. Sila ‘yung sanay eh.
Ganun lang kasi kaawa. Sila lang muna. Sila na ‘yung sanay eh. ‘Di doon sa Davao ako noon, I ordered them to practice getting used to it, wearing it and para mas madali, ipadala na lang.
‘Yung pulis na mismo ‘yung ano… Just order them to go there para maybe we can save more lives before it gets to be on the final phase.
Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, he’s my Chief of Police, mahusay ‘to; Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Chief of Police ko din, mahusay ito; and newly promoted star rank officers of the Philippine National Police, mahusay kayong lahat; [applause] mga kasamahan ko sa goyberno, mahusay rin tayong lahat; mga minamahal kong kababayan.
I… As usual, I have two pages for every event. But let me just pour out my sentiments bago itong… Baka magalit itong nag-prepare nito ‘pag hindi mo basahin. Nakakahiya naman.
I am looking for money and I want the Philippine National Police to as soon as possible recruit and organize about five to seven battalions of SAF-trained.
Alam mo sabi nga nila noon marami tayong sundalo. Totoo ‘yan. In times of peace, wala tayong problema. Kung walang gulo, no deployment or nothing and there’s a big space for everybody to move. Noon ‘yun.
But with the coming of the ISIS, drugs coming in from anywhere and everywhere, pati itong terrorism, criminality, hirap tayo ngayon.
So it is not really a matter of numbers but the number of events that we have to counter to save the Republic.
Kulang tayo ngayon and I’ve been quarrelling with everybody in the Cabinet na kunan ko ‘yung ano nila muna, in the meantime, kaltasan ko because I have to have the money. Kailangan 20,000 Army troops and mga seven battalions of SAF.
I do not think that the siege in Marawi would be the beginning and the end. It has begun in Sulu many years ago and the number of times that we were humiliated as a country.
We cannot even protect our own, much more with the number of tourists who disregard warnings and go there.
And that Malacca Strait there, the great expanse is the Sulu Sea then it gets to be constricted because you have to ply the Malacca Strait. That has become a very serious problem for everybody.
And Widodo and I have yet to hear pa Najib. He wants us, the three of us to meet somewhere to talk about this new phenomenon of international terrorism.
Parang we are back into the stages of the old world. Parang mga pirata, of which they are really are. If you have to characterize their… They kill and they just want to destroy.
And even with the — sa Navy — we have to prop a lot of things. I do not need at this time the large, the gray ship na malalaki. All I need are the fast boats to pursue the pirates and terrorists. ‘Yan lang naman sila.
Nabigla lang tayo dito sa [Marawi]. But you know, there’s a reason for that. They can only do it in places where they are the dominant population. They cannot do it anywhere.
This is not to alarm anybody but kung nasaan ‘yan silang marami. It could be Davao which has a large population of Moro. Hindi naman lahat.
But itong kalaban talaga natin, itong mga extremist na Moro who has joined the ISIS. Zamboanga could be a very tempting target and even Manila.
But I don’t know if they will survive for another day of fighting. So we have to improve on our assets. Madagdagan ko lang ng 12 ‘yang Air Force natin, make it a 24 in numbers, it would be a credible Air Force, [FA-50].
But I need the fast boats and the powerful precision-guided missiles. That’s what I’ve been trying to get.
I don’t know if Russia’s help is coming. Sinabi nila ibibigay naman nila. Nagpapasalamat rin tayo. And sa mga Chinese. And, of course, sa America. Given ‘yan eh, all these years ang tulong natin.
Ang problema lang dito is itong droga, has to be addressed… It has to be addressed by the police. Matindi ‘to.
I… It is true that I promised you that I’ll wipe out drugs in three to six months. Ang problema nga ‘to ‘yung template was Davao. Pagdating ko dito sa Maynila, sad to say, ‘yung mga police generals are into it, the favored ones, ‘yung mga spoiled.
Ayaw ko na lang mag-sira ng isang tao but he allowed corruption and everything to flourish and that is why we had to do something very serious.
It was really serious. Alam ninyo ‘yan. Police kayo eh. So but this time, I’d never expected also that drugs would come in dito sa p*** ko, sa Customs.
And dito sa Mindanao, I’ve been warning it — about it almost daily. Narinig ninyo ako before the siege sa Marawi. Sabi ko, “Please do not force me to do something sa Mindanao.”
Inuulit ko ‘yun, sinasabi ko na, “I do not want to declare martial law but if you’ll force my hand into it, I will really do it.”
It has come to pass. Ngayon na nga, ito na ‘yung problema natin. So we have to stay alert, vigilant, increase our numbers and maybe…
Given the equal war now, medyo kulang tayo sa armas. The weapons that really matter most in a rebellion or a criminal syndicate as serious as in Mindanao. We need them but we still have to have them.
Pero hindi kailangan ‘yung mga tangke-tangke because — well breaching purposes but we have enough of that.
It’s just a rebellion. It’s fundamentally a tao por tao ‘yan. And we have this problem also of Sulu looming big in the horizon.
If you remember, ladies and gentlemen, nung unang command conference ko as President. We were talking almost about anything under the sun. But nobody was talking about Mindanao. And that was also the reason why I was forced to run.
Nakita na ninyo ngayon because nobody was talking about Mindanao. Na kung walang gagawin, mahuhulog talaga sa — you know, a break down and maybe lost it — dismembered ang Republic of the Philippines.
Kaya ko noon, sige na ako. But nobody but nobody. And you were around. Huwag na lang tayo mag-bolahan. Sila lahat diyan.
They never mentioned about the seriousness or gravity of the situation in Mindanao. Ako na nakikita ko na kasi taga-Mindanao ako eh.
Part of the reason why I said I decided to run because kung ganito, they will tend to not really abandon but just put it aside as a nagging problem, like a sore thumb that sticks out everyday. Sabi ko kawawa ang — kaming mga taga-Mindanao.
At buti na lang na-anticipate namin and, of course, itong si Undersecretary Cuy pati si Chief PNP, alam nila ‘yan, doon ‘yan sila eh.
At lahat naman dumaan sa — alam nila ang equation. So… Hindi sabihin na, “Hindi ko kayo kilala.” I know you by name but ito ‘yan silang nagtrabaho sa Davao and became my chiefs of police in succession.
So Morente, si Sid Lapeña, way, way much ahead of them. They are also from Davao. But they are not — they are really — si Bato, but the rest are not from Davao actually.
They were just passing by sa tour of duty nila. At doon ko ‘yan sila nakilala. Hindi ko naman kayo kilala. Kilala ko kayo na guwapo pero kung ‘yung personal rapport, ‘yung address you as “Bato,” ganon, ganon, eh hindi ko kayo kilala eh.
Kung kilala ko kayo noon, eh ‘di ginawa ko kayong chief of police lahat sa Davao. Tig-lima-lima. Well, anyway, that is the problem — corruption.
I will have something to say sa Command Conference. When is it? Now? Ayon. Tingnan ko kung magka… Hindi naman ako bright boy but I’ll tell you the reason why.
Did it occur to you? Did it occur to you na karamihang raids may CCTV? Hindi atin, hindi sa barangay, sa bahay.
There was this incident, nakita ko, that he was lying in a cot, ‘yung maliit na bed. But the CCTV was right staring in front of his — that would give you an idea. Bakit may mga CCTV ‘to? I’ll tell you the secret maya. Sila walang kasali kay mga misis man ‘yan sila.
Basahin ko na lang ‘yung sa ano ha.
When I came to office, I made a promise to the Filipino people that I will do my best to minimize, if not end, the many problems hounding the nation.
Of all these, illegal drugs and criminality remain among the most difficult challenges that we have to overcome.
The problem, it appears, is the lack of political will to combat these ills from our country’s leaders.
Many politicians are either cowed or are protectors of drug lords and criminals.
Some are even drug lords and criminals so they neither have the urgency nor possess the resolve to deal with the many evils affecting our society today.
Mabilog has sent word that he wants to talk to me. And I had some lifestyle check on him.
His house is like a palace in… Sabi ko, anak siguro talaga ito ng mayamang mayaman.
‘Yung bahay niya talagang ipina-ano — ipinasilip ko sa mga NBI pati BIR, it’s really a palace. Kaya…
It is for this reason that I look to the PNP to provide leadership to assert peace and order and uphold the rule of law.
It is your duty to ensure that our countrymen are protected from the various elements that prey on our citizenry. You are the protectors of our people and they look to you for respite, succor and safety.
Despite the headway we already made against illegal drugs and criminality, our country is not yet safe from harm and danger. So remain vigilant. Stay alert and be ready.
Diyan tayo bayad eh. Bayad tayo magtrabaho at kung maaari, bayad tayo mamatay for the country.
Most of all, sustain our efforts against illegal drugs and crime. Do not be afraid as long as you do your duties.
I repeat: Huwag kayong matakot diyang mga human rights, mga demanda, demanda. Gawin mo lang ang tamang trabaho mo. Follow the rules of engagement, follow the rules of performance of duty, and follow the rules of self-defense and I will go to prison for you.
But make no mistake: this government will never tolerate any abuse of power, corruption and illegal activities in the PNP and the entire bureaucracy.
Alam ko naman eh, kakaunti lang itong scalawags talaga. These are the guys that joined the PNP hoping something — money, comfort, luxury, ‘yan.
Mga taga-Maynila na pulis, taga-Luzon ganun. ‘Pag nandiyan na, gusto kaagad ng Land Cruiser, hindi makuntento noon. Eh noon, nickel-plated lang diyan sa Cavite. ‘Yan ang mga ano nila.
Ngayon, they are not contented with it because if you really crave for something which you cannot afford by any measures, sa pagod mo sa trabaho, then that is where corruption starts.
Basta you hunger for the things that you cannot afford, da-dive ka talaga diyan.
To the newly appointed and promoted officials, I ask you to lead the men and women of the PNP as together, you fulfill this task.
Guide them to become the exemplary and effective police officers that our country needs at this important juncture of our history.
‘Di ba sinabi ko naman sa iyo paulit-ulit pa ba ‘yan? Na kung may problema kayo na malaki, kung pera — hindi pera ng gobyerno — marami akong kaibigan. Marami akong kaibigan kasi ako ‘yung hindi humihingi at alam nila ‘pag humingi ako, hindi para sa akin.
And you know the reason why you see a lot of the big business helping us with the — itong mga halfway house, mga rehab center, these are the guys na hindi ko tinanggap ‘yung pera, for one reason or another.
Para gusto makabawi, ‘yan donate sila ng ano, donate ng… And some gave a huge sum of money.
The last time that I met with the Chinese community here, businessmen, but he is really a good person. Pero sabihin ko sa inyo, hindi ko tinanggap ‘yung pera niya. He offered to provide one million for every dead soldier. Kaya ako nagpapasalamat.
Sabi ko na “kung nalaman ko lang pala na ganun ka marami ang pera mo, tinanggap ko na lang, doblado sana ‘yun.” [laughter]
Kaysa naman patay ka sa buhay, eh ‘di bigyan mo na akong… huwag patay, bigyan mo ang buhay.
Today, we have a great opportunity to finally rid of our nation of its many problems and ushered in real, lasting and meaningful change.
Hindi nakuha nitong mga… Ewan ko kung anong kulay na nila. Technicolor na ‘yan sila eh. That no, no. You will compromise the next generation.
Itong mga high school ngayon, college. ‘Pag hindi natin nahinto ‘yung droga, sabi nila… Tingnan mo, kaya ko minumura ‘yan sila, naming names, idiots, b*** s***, they keep on hankering on my statement that, “If you destroy my country, I will kill you.”
That is a very legitimate statement of a leader of a nation. And when I say that “I will kill you if you destroy the young of this country”, nobody can argue with that statement maski sa harap ni Hesukristo.
Ano bang masama niyang sabihin mo, “papatayin kita ‘pag sinira mo ang bayan ko?” If you destroy the next generation, na hindi naman tayo mayaman. Wala naman tayong propiedad.
They have always checked oh noong eleksyon sinabi 211 — itong Trillanes na b****. Sabi ko, “Sige, hanapin ninyo.”
Ngayong Presidente na ako sinabi ko, “You have now the authority…” “I, as President, am ordering you to…” Kalkalin mo ‘yung Rural Bank of Kidapawan. Baka dun nakadeposito.
‘Yung mga ganon na style. But tayo, trabaho lang. Alam mo, sa kanila, they are incapable of absorbing that idea na may mga tao na iba sa kanila. May mga tao na ang prinsipyo, inilalagay sa pwesto.
Hindi ‘yung kanila na mag-revolt-revolt ng mutiny, pagdating naman ng pulis, sinampal pa ni Vargas itong si Trillanes. Wala namang nagawa, nag-surrender. Tapos sabihin mo, matapang ka. Susmaryosep. Trillanes, mahiya ka naman sa sarili mo. Hindi ko na lang patulan.
You know why si Faeldon pati ‘yung anak ko kilala? I’ll tell you. Faeldon is still alive with some of the generals. Three years ago, si Faeldon, pumupunta na ng Davao. Alam nila Bato ‘yan.
They were urging me to run. Bakit hindi ko makilala si Faeldon, when Faeldon was present every meeting sa kampanya ko? Kaya kilala ‘yan si Faeldon sa pamilya ko, kilala ng asawa ko, kilala ng lahat ‘yan, kilala ng buong Davao ‘yan. Pabalik-balik ‘yan doon.
I don’t know. That’s it for Faeldon and my son to tell — kung nandoon siya. [garbled] ng anak ko, hindi siya nagpunta.
Ito namang si Mans, itong bala — ang balae ko, kapatid ni Conchita Morales sa Ombudsman. Okay?
Noong Mighty King… Hindi ‘yang ano na ‘yan. Hindi ‘yang shabu-shabu, wala ‘yan. Katakot na lang niyang maghawak maski isang kutsara.
Ang Mighty King, sila taga — ang abogado. Lawyering is never and would never be a wrong… Kaming mga abogado, kita mo sina Oyson noon, Don Pepe? Kita mo mga abogado nila. May nasabi ka ba? Nagtatrabaho eh. It’s lawyering.
Kaya totoo ‘yan. Kaya hindi ko na pinansin ‘yan kasi sabi niya, “Pa, abogado kami ni Mighty.”
Sabi ko… Kasi alam ko hindi sila lulusot kay Sonny Dominguez. Pati kay Faeldon. Sabi ko, “Basta lawyering, hanggang diyan lang kayo. But never, never ask me to do anything for you.” Alam nila ‘yan.
‘Yan ang… Ang ano talaga diyan ‘yung Mighty King. O may nagawa ba sila? From 3 billion, naging 45 billion tuloy.
Saan ko man kunin ‘yung 20 billion ko na seed money ko para sa trust fund ng P — AFP, PNP? Diyan.
Sinabi ko sa congressman, sinabi ko kay Sonny, ireserba mo ‘yung bente, because I promised you na by the time I go out of the office, maging 50 billion ‘yan. Ang trust fund niyan, ang interest lang or the premium or whatever, hindi na ninyo maubos.
‘Yan ang sabi ko, that’s four years, free education naman ngayon. Ngayon, may mga bata… ‘Di mo masabi, may mga anak kayo na valedictorian ganun and they want to pursue higher studies — mahal kasi ‘yung ano. So punta ng La Salle, Ateneo. So may panahon sila. And you can always borrow from the trust fund.
‘Yan para lang talaga sa edukasyon ng mga anak ninyo, period, nothing else. Tutal meron naman kayong mga pinsan-pinsan sa ano. This one is to assure that he would get a good education para he has a fighting chance in life to do good.
Matikman nila ang hindi ninyo natikman. Alam ko ‘yan. Matikman nila ang hindi ko rin na… At tsaka tayo, mahirap lang. Pagkatanda ninyo, pag-retire mo, ang susubo sa lugaw ninyo, ang anak niyo. Ang bibili ng antibiotic ninyo pati ‘yung sa pneumonia ninyo. Ang magbayad ng punerarya, ang anak ninyo.
Kaya ako, sensitive ako diyan. Sinasabi ko, “huwag mong sirain ang Pilipino”. Itong mga g*** na itong… Palibhasa mayaman na ‘yung mga u***. Hindi nila naintindihan ‘yan na it’s really a fight for life.
Itong labanang ito, it’s a matter of life and death sa atin. Kasi kung walang pinag-aralan, puro b***** ‘yang anak ninyo o may anak ka… once there is a pamilya — alam ninyo ‘yan… Sa pamilya, ‘pag may isa diyan, dalawa, tinamaan ng droga, that family becomes dysfunctional. Sira na ang buhay mo.
Tignan mo mga kaibigan ninyo, pati ‘yung mga anak ng pulis, tinamaan. Tignan mo anong nangyari? Dysfunctional na ang pamilya.
So ngayon, mapoproblema ka pa na mamatay ka, sinong mag-alaga nitong isa na ito na tinamaan eh g****g*** na eh? Wala nang isip. Hindi nila naintindihan eh.
Kaya itong mga Europeans kaya ko talagang minumura kasi you pretend to be… Sabihin pa, “O, last na itong kay Kian ha? ‘Pag meron pa…” P*** Who are you to say that? Kaya b***** s*** ko.
Pumunta ka dito. Ayaw naman makipag-debate. Kasi kung makipag-debate ‘yan, in five questions, gawain kong t**** ‘yang buang na ‘yan.
Sabi pinatay ko raw 10,000? Who was my 10,000th victim? 10,000 man kaya. O ‘yung pinaka — 9,999. Saan namatay? Sino? Paano namatay?
They think that it is easy. You know, sa pulis, even sa grupo, ‘yang raid-raid, magkamali ang isang tao diyan, it does not mean to say the whole of the team gets to be punished. Because criminal liability is personal. Unless there is a conspiracy na, “itong gawain natin ha, wala tayong bubuhayin niyan. Tama ‘yan.”
‘Pag ang ang kalaban talaga dapat patayin. Pero kung magsabi mo isang engkwentro, isang engkwentro doon, tapos nagkamali ‘yung isa — guilt is personal. Kanya lang ‘yang… ‘Wag mong ipasa doon sa iba.
Unless ‘yung pinag-usapan natin na ‘yun ang gagawain natin. Eh kulang itong… Lalo na itong hindi mga abogado. Susmaryosep. Magsalita.
Saan na ba ang last page nito? [laughter]
Despite the headway already made against illegal drugs and criminality, our country is not yet safe from harm and danger. So remain vigilant, but with the…
Tapos naman pala ito. Matanda na talaga ang Presi… Sinabi ko sa inyo, 72 na ako eh.
So my warmest felicitations. Congratulations. I’m happy for you.
I join the family in the event today that you finally reached this Star Rank. Huwag sanang sayangan ninyo.
Sabi ko naman sa inyo, adre, sabi ko sa inyo, ‘pag may problema kayo at mabigat, punta lang kayo sa akin. Huwag kayong maghingi diyan sa mga negosyante. Ako ang maghanap.
You know, ‘pag may cancer sa pamilya o paalisin ka na sa bahay, nandiyan na ‘yung sheriff, madali lang naman remedyo diyan, tawagin mo si Inday. [laughter] Bugbog ka… Bugbugin ‘yan ni Inday eh. Mawala ‘yang sheriff na ‘yan. [laughter] Kung paalisin ka na sa…
Just tell me. Just be frank with me, tell me the truth. ‘Yan si Bato. Bata man ninyo ‘yang si Bato. Ako bata ninyo ako. We serve altogether.
Ako… Karami ninyo ako mag-isa, eh ‘di ako ang bata ninyo. Just tell me. Sinabi ko inyo, we can… In extremist. Kung kailangan talaga na paalisin ng bahay or whatever. Sabihin mo lang sa’kin, maghahanap tayo ng kuwan…
Hindi ako magdadalawang-isip maghingi ng tulong sa mga kaibigan ko. Lalo na ‘yung sabi ko na hindi ko tinanggap ‘yung pera nila. Marami ‘yon. It’s because ayaw ko ‘yung magkautang ako ng loob kasi alam ko, mahirap.
I’ve been a politician — a mayor for 23 years. Si Bato, pagdating niyan, 2nd Lieutenant lang ‘yan, 1st Lieutenant, ikinasal, ako ang ninong. Oo, ako ang ninong niyan.
Si Cuy, ‘yung pangatlong asawa niya. [laughter] Sa binyag. Hindi naman siguro… ‘Di naman umabot siguro ng pangatlo ‘yung — talino. Sa binyag, hindi sa kasal. Nanganak ba ‘yung pangatlo? Nandiyan ba si Mimi? Hello, Mimi. Kilala kong… Ang ano niyan… Hindi kaibigan namin, kaibigan naming dalawa.
So ‘yun lang siguro. And I will have… I’ll tender maybe a dinner with you next week. Let me just go back to Mindanao because we have a problem there to solve.
We are in the final stages of… Ipadala mo na lang kaagad ‘yung ano — ipa-airlift mo na ‘yung mga pulis.
T**** i*** mga pulis na ‘yan. Sila mismo ha, ‘yung nag-practice. Ayaw ko ‘yung mag-practice pa doon, madidisgrasya lang. Because they are required to do it almost three times a week. Sabi ko, para sanay.
Diyan maubos ang Maute ang explosive nila. Hindi matumba ang pulis diyan. Talagang mabigat.
I bought that at for almost… One million ba ‘yun? One million plus each. Pero it can really withstand the… It can do the work it is intended for.
So maraming salamat.
— END —
