(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s media interview, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
MEDIA INTERVIEW
WITH
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING HIS VISIT TO MARAWI CITY
[Held at Marawi City | 21 September 2017]
Q: Mr. President, good evening po.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Good evening.
Q: Can you give us an update lang, sir, what’s happening on the ground? And well, the past weeks we’ve been saying that [inaudible]. So, could you give us, sir, updates lang on what’s happening on the ground?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: The Armed Forces is winding up but there are still the hold-outs and the hostages.
What delayed us before is still the same. As much as possible, we do not want anybody taken hostage by the terrorist, harmed or killed.
So gapangan ito. And slowly, parang special operations na lang lahat na nung nagawa by — sa pari.
It does not… It was not a stroke of faith that he was able to — Yeah, in the sense that he was lucky that there are some military who are really marunong gumapang ‘yung mga Rangers natin, special — Practically lahat.
Ano, ‘yung sa mga… ‘yung mga front lines ‘yun. And they planned a scenario which successfully led to the rescue of the priest.
‘Yun ang ano — Magwi-winding up na ito. And sabi ko nga sa mga sundalo, “We will not have any celebration. After all has been said and done, we will just go out quietly.” Pack their things and go home.
But I will insist on a thanksgiving mass. But only for those living, for the — especially for those who are brother soldiers who died along the way.
It is a very sad incident in the life of a soldier. But I would insist that… we insist that we also have… Not really a celebration because walang nanalo dito eh.
Actually, kayong mga Maute diyan, pati mga remaining terorista. Wala… walang… We do not claim any victory over you kung napatay ka o napahirapan ka because we did not start this ruckus. The government just reacted. We don’t… we don’t need any trouble now. Ayaw namin. Ayaw ko.
Ayaw ko kasi sa, as a matter of fact, sinabi ko, “‘Yung lola ko taga-rito, dito talaga sa Lanao del Sur.” So I’ll be the last person to pick a fight.
But when they invaded, the terrorists invaded ISIS and the rest of the Al Qaeda groups in the area of the Zamboanga Peninsula and — I had to declare martial law.
It will be lifted anytime after things are already — There’s a clean up and we can make sure that it does not end with the physical fighting. There’s much to be done.
Pero kung it’s rebuilding [Marawi] and of course, getting rid of the remaining explosives, which are hidden or planted along the way, it’s not really for us but for the people of Marawi to give them protection. Kaya nga lilinisin nga eh. Because…
Pati ‘yung mga returnees, civilians are in… Put in jeopardy of being a victim of an explosive, IED planted by the terrorists in many parts of the city.
We need to clean up and it could only be done by the military. But after, I said, “Our task here, the military’s task, we shall go home quietly.” They will pack their bags and maybe say goodbye to the people of Marawi.
Eh ako naman, sabi ko, “Walang nanalo dito. We’re all losers actually.” We have soldiers… maraming nawala pati maraming sugatan. That is my second worry. I have to make an assessment and evaluation of each and every [soldier] kung whether he can still fight and…
For those really seriously wounded, I have to make a visit somehow maybe when my calendar is freed of the physical — We have to have physical endurance. My day starts, I said, after lunch. Then one or two, I already start until midnight.
We had a LEDAC. And I was with General Lorenzana and si Ed kagabi. Hindi ko nga alam na nandoon sila. But we had a talk with the senators and the congressmen and they have filed or they would be filing the BBL transition documents and the senators have agreed that there will be a postponement of the election.
The only thing missing actually in that law is that, sabi ko, because there were so many complaints that they would give additional powers of appointment to — I said, “I am not in politics now. Wala na ako hanggang…” The remaining years is what? Five years or something.
I do not need any added political whatever. Be it voters or lieutenants. I’m through. I cannot run again. And that’s why I said, “I’m not interested in appointing the public officials. Itong mga kagawad pati barangay captain kasi magkagulo lang.” Baka ‘yung isa doon magalit sa akin. So why would I?
Sabi ko, “Place there a mechanism that I do not have anything to do with it. Just approve it as a law. Do not give me powers of concessions which I do not need anymore.”
Wala na akong ano — All I see that… All I see the future as me working very hard with the soldiers, with the police, and with the public to make it a safe place for the nation.
But the war on drugs will continue. There will be no let-up. Then, we will have shortly a Secretary of DILG, it’s vacant. I do not have the permission to say his name in public. But it will continue. Just because there were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or a dozen unnecessary deaths.
And I agree that it was not — Those incidents especially those covered by CCTVs –– they have to face the punishment. They have to be prosecuted. Lalo na ang mga police, karamihan police. And they went into a killing spree without following the law.
Ulitin ko: When the… when this is the policeman or a soldier and here is an enemy now or a criminal, the duty of the police is to announce his authority that he is the police officer and he is arresting. It’s worth repeating kasi hindi narinig ng mass pati mga civilian.
‘Pag hinuli kayo ng police, at sabihin niya, “Arestado ka, you are arrested, you are under arrest because of a crime you violated.” The police must place the guy under the authority of the government.
Anywhere in the world, be it a British, American. When the police says, “You are under arrest because you committed a crime,” the duty of the criminal is to surrender. Because if not, the next law that mandates to the soldier or to the police is really to force you to surrender and you should.
The first duty of a civilian in this country and any country for that matter, your obligation is to surrender, so that the police can place you under the custody of the law.
Physical, arestado ka na. Then you are brought to the court, issuing the warrant, or your case was warrants without arrest.
Committing a crime in the presence of a police officer, about to commit a crime, or had in fact committed a crime. Those are instances which do not need a warrant.
There is no time anymore if he is about to commit a crime and go to court to secure a warrant of arrest. He would not have the time.
About to commit a robbery, murder, or entry into a house, then you surrender. The second is he already committed, there’s a shooting incident inside the room. Or there’s a stabbing or a quarrel that would result in deaths and physical injuries.
The police can enter the house, find out if there is a crime committed by this house or the neighbors would say that there’s something seriously going on. He does not need a warrant.
[inaudible] he is exempted from the crime called, “trespass to dwelling.” That will not apply if the police would enter the house under the authority of the law para mahuli niya.
Then again, the duty of this criminal or person arrested, whether or not you really committed or not is you to explain before the police. But allow him to. Because the law says, “If you refuse to surrender, the police must go to you and physically drag you.” Because the law says, “You must overcome.”
Kailangan makuha mo talaga ‘yung tao. That’s why it ends sometimes in a quarrel, ruckus, because especially drunk and especially those walang kasalanan, they would fight with the police. Sometimes, they are really — The police is trained for martial arts or maybe two or three would arrest you physically and restrain you.
Kaya nagkakabukol-bukol minsan ‘yan. Kaya ‘yang Human Rights, I’m telling you, not all physical injuries that you see on a person was really a… would have been a crime for you.
Because in fighting the police, you might be, well, use a fist. Because the law says, “You must overcome the resistance.” So you have to go physical. And [garbled] arrest by order, you can drag him.
And that process alone would mean that there would be some injuries. And if he goes to the physician and have him have a medical certificate to [inaudible].
The vogue now, the fad, or the style prevailing, they would also file a case against the police. And if the police is suspended, pending the charges na you violated the rights by going physical, in the first place, he should have surrendered. We could have avoided injury.
But that is the law. They file a case against the peace officer to gain a leverage. And a police officer, before my time, was that they are really hesitant. And that is why no arrest on drugs on a large dimension has had happened because they would always file a case and the police are afraid of cases.
You, an ordinary police, with a salary of 14,000, the entry pay. And if he’s suspended that day, he can no longer bring rice, food to the family table. And with the meager that he could not have, he would not have the resources for the continued education of — Kawawa eh.
I-demanda mo. Because when they file a case against the police, and the police has submit to [garbled]. And there is about two or three which says that he was dragged because — So that’s part of the arrest. And that is what makes the Human Rights and some bleeding hearts ignorant.
You should talk to a lawyer before you make the conclusion. Just because you saw him bloodied, for all you know, he resisted all the way.
And the police cannot stop there at that point when there is already physical violence because the law says, “You must overcome the resistance.” You have to overcome, means to say you can use force.
If he puts up a good fight, suntukan na lang, fist fight. The police cannot turn his back and say, “I do not want a case filed against me.”
And that is why some of them are really liable, not guilty, for a prosecution but they make all the things even. So walang police noon na matapang.
When my time came, I said, “Go out of your sanctuaries, wherever you are, sa presinto, or if you are told to patrol the streets, catch this peddler.” Then that is the duty of the police.
He does not follow that order of the president and the mayor, neglect of duty or disobedience to the public was [inaudible].
Aside from the fact that he might be facing charges that the injured criminal would suffer, he loses his job.
And that is why, I said, “Some media people and the EU and ano… And they would say, ‘You know, Duterte has a very…’”
You know, find me a reason, a good one. Cite to me a provision in any of the criminal statutes of the world which says that it is wrong for the President to say, “Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not destroy the young or the youth because that is our only asset.”
We are not a rich race. We depend on a meager pension that is only good — Mine is good for about three years.
An ordinary soldier or policeman, their pension would — And when they get old, when they retire, they would… no.
Illness come and go through his body. Diabetes, hypertension. Minsan glaucoma because of — And they have to buy these medicines. So it would be the last thing that you would want to happen in their lives.
That’s why they were hesitant to go out. And that is why they make comparison, why in the previous times — I would not want to specify any president here — nothing of that scale happened.
Well, because the police officers are hesitant. But I would admit, as I have said, that there were killings unnecessary and we are finding out by filing murder charges against them, like the Kian, who were caught on camera.
I never said, “Kill them unnecessarily.” Go out, arrest all criminals, but if they offer a resistance that places your life in jeopardy.
Look at the police, look at the — You have the internet now. Look at the place where a policeman, after the Kian incident, because there are really many, aplenty of drugs in Caloocan. The police conducted another raid. My policeman was shot in the head. I did not even notice a coverage of that. Nothing.
Well, once in a while, you see the drug addict. I’ve been telling you, they are a violent human being, especially if the brain is destroyed. There are no more connective nerves working inside the gray matter between his ears.
So a policeman two days after was killed. Now, of recent memory the other night, you saw a guy who was drunk. You saw him going around with a knife. It was really comeuppance for him because the camera, the CCTVs there are, saw the actual.
Had it not been the — otherwise, they would… [garbled] “The police shot them.” Look at the way… I admired that police. So I want to see him and congratulate him.
When the attacker who was deranged with drugs began to attack him, he just parried the several blows with his hands. Hinawakan pa niya. Got hold of the knife and kill… stabbed him. He was parrying. It was not only after he fell down, tapos pumatong itong — The criminal was above him, about to finish him off and he fired.
That is the police that I wanted. But do not expose your life. If you sense that you will die, why would you allow a criminal win by killing you and going scot-free? If there’s nobody — Had it not been for the camera.
That’s why I said there are lot of guys who are crazy going around. Here, I’ve been telling you that there is a flood of drugs. Marawi is one here because every drone, I have the… I cannot share to you. But everyone here was producing shabu.
So when we were trying to find out where did this money come from to finance terrorism, we asked the international investigators to give us a copy of the transmission of money.
And there was only one outstanding operator, aside from two civilians, but one is — was a police officer and she goes by the name of Nobleza, a lady.
A lady peace officer, I think she was a major. She was assigned before in Davao sa forensics. She’s quite a… well-built lady. So we saw the number of the transactions she had with the foreign terrorists. That is why her presence there was required to save the… in Bohol.
Siya ‘yun. But otherwise, we were looking for the real money, unless there was really dollar stacks somewhere.
How come that Marawi until now is still fighting? Let me ask you a question. We’re in the third month. How come the Maute brothers and the terrorists were able to stockpile so much ordnance and bullets and ammunition and IED? Saan nila kinuha ‘yun?
And three months, I said, there were still fighting. I don’t know if there’s fighting going on. But that is one. And we were looking for the source of the money. And I will just point out to you, Mindanao is a rotten…
We have now a good picture of what happened in Marawi about the drugs. This is the matrix. Do not… You are not allowed to — Because I do not want to compromise our agents of the [inaudible] It’s really — But you would notice p***** i** niya. Sandali ha.
They get to — Ito, may pula. That is part of the discovery of the military. Parojinog, the mayor who was killed by the police during a raid.
So he died and they want to exhume the body. I… maybe they have already done that. For what? For what? Filing a case against the police?
That’s my order. I was the one who gave it. So why don’t you file a case against me? Everything that happened here in Marawi. I was the one who declared martial law and I will answer for it. The responsibility is mine and mine alone, not the police and the military. Akin ‘yun.
Kung baga sa hantak ‘yan, aking antug ‘yun [coin toss]. Alam mo ‘yung antug? You have the stone there. Ganunin mo ‘yung coin mo tapos ikaw… Antug. Aking antug ito dito.
At saka marami pang p***** i**** mga mayor kayo, l**** kayo. Kaya sabi nila, bastos daw bunganga ko. Totoo, talagang bastos talaga ako. Gawain mo sa bayan ko ‘yan? P**** i** mo, talagang bastos ako. Galit ako.
Sabi ko, ilan lang man ang sweldo nitong mga ‘to, mga pulis, mga… Pagtanda nito nila, saan sila magkuha ng oxygen? Saan sila magkuha ng medisina, antibiotics? You think that their pension would only be spent for their physical needs? Hanggang diyan lang ang pension nila. They could not even enjoy it because it’s quite small.
So they would need the children to feed them. Itong mga ‘to. They would need their children to buy the oxygen. P**** i** ‘yan.
They would need their children to buy the antibiotics if there is a contamination going on already but — Mabuti ‘yung magprangkahan tayo. Filipino nation, find me a law which says that I cannot say, “If you destroy my country, I’ll kill you.”
Find me a law which says that I am liable for anything when I say, “Do not destroy our children because they are the only assets that we have and then when we grow old, we… they take care of us as they took care of us also, their children when they were young.
That is the sad story. And those OFWs suffering abuse, rape. Doon sa countries they are deployed. And they cannot even get justice because instead of them going to jail, the criminal.
Our women are in prison. That’s the problem. And they go there because they want to look for money so that their children can go to school.
Look, if this is the family, if one child gets hooked into drugs, this family becomes dysfunctional. If the father goes out somewhere in the Middle East, and the mother follows suit, and the children are left with the grandparents or aunts and uncles, it’s very… especially the ano.
[inaudible] for a jail in the company with other guys, even with the relatives. So how many times did we hear that she was raped by a cousin of his father because they’re vulnerable. Why? Because the family is already dysfunctional.
Wala lang… Nobody would call him to go in for the night and retire. Nobody would keep track where they would go and these are the guys identified by the peddler because they know that they have this money. Small, but you can get a share of the blood money that their father and mother…
And to think that the mother would suffer humiliation, indignity, day in, day out.
Because there are in — There are countries, I cannot name them now. But I will someday.
But I was once upon a time a congressman. I went to the Middle East to beg for mercy. And we were all… At least me, I am half. But in the company of Dilangalen, the congressman from here, Salapuddin. He used to be a rebel.
And we went there, I said, “It was Villar’s idea. You go where you… you’re Muslim.”
“You,” referring to me, you have a Muslim blood, he knows that my mother is a… came from him eons ago. Many years ago.
So we begged there for the life of — And he granted it. So we brought the two or three girls back home.
But the minister there, sort of an Estate Minister of Foreign Affairs who accompanied us, said, “Why don’t you talk to the police?” I will not name the country.
“Why don’t you talk to your counterpart, the legislator?” Because I was a member of the Law and Order Committee.
And I said, “You know, you should tell your countrymen that they should not be wailing and whining because they are here.”
The practice among the race here is if you are a slave or paid to work on that house, physical abuse is part of it.
So here goes the employer, the sons who are already of age, and the cousin of the father or mother which is there. And they make use of the women.
That is how painful to me and that is why I am angry. Because back home, the money that they send, not all. There would always be an exception.
But most of them, because the ready money, small but also a small [inaudible], they are the first victims.
No father to worry for him. No mother except the cellphone. And every time she makes a call, she will just be assured, “Oh, we’re alive here.”
That to me is the painful thing — Nasasaktan ako diyan. Alam mo bakit? Nagpapah*** ang babae doon, Pilipina, para lang makapagkita ng pera. Dapat malaman ng Pilipino ‘yan.
Kaya ako masakit sa akin. Bakit ba — Even if I’m just a nobody in the Philippines, I come from Davao City, I grew up. I have a Chinese grandfather, a Maranao grandmother. My father is Cebuano. But do not ever say that I do not love my country and my fellowmen.
That is why, you guys, you make money, then you f*** with our children. Who do you think you are?
But what right do you have in this universal thing that you are allowed to cook shabu, make our sons and daughters a slave to a chemical?
And they will crave for that every day at the expense of the money or the hard-earned money, and the loss of the dignity included just to bring money to the children.
Pero, never mind about those OFWs. Maybe you can count, just a number about… Depende sa [garbled] but about three million, including the children and the family that they leave behind when they go abroad.
Now I’ve told you, “Do not,” I said, “F*** with our children because they are important to us. They are our insurance.”
Unlike the West, dito sila, they have a rich economy and also they have the insurance that when they die, at least they can… their children can afford to pay the home for the elderly or aged, and even for the [inaudible].
The Filipino, do we have that? Do we have that home for the aged to take… We have in Davao.
And I have in Davao a beautiful building costing 22 million where I placed victims of incest, those who get pregnant because of a father… Only those incest, brother, uncle.
So I housed them in… To give birth, then I provide, the government provides education.
We do have the rehab. That rehab was constructed about 17 years ago when I was still Mayor.
You know what? The slide… The rate of going back to, it’s about 90 percent. Most of the time, they go out then they get into the habit again.
The failure of drug rehabilitation is almost 90. I know that. And you have been to Davao, you should see my…
I have a rehab for the drug addicts, so don’t tell me that, “You do not have to kill.” I never ordered anybody. And you can ask any policeman and soldier if there was such a thing.
They are so plenty, I cannot convince them all to tell the truth if that is the truth. If you can find about five, those who are in neutral and not my political enemies as they would want to — I’ll step down as President.
Only when their lives are in danger can a police officer or the military — Just like now, there’s martial law in Mindanao. If the military says “Stop it,” Do not do it. Stop it and do not do it.
And if you are killed, don’t blame the military or the police because I will protect them, I said. For those who committed wrongs, wrongdoings, or maybe something that is not in accordance with the normal incident of a human being, a Filipino, then and only then, would I…
But I will protect them because I have to do my duty and I have only the police and the military to enforce it.
So I allowed them to search every house in the city. So maybe you thought that they would really be able to amass such a large quantity of guns, explosives, ordnance. Name it and they have it.
They have the drones. They have the Barrett that can put you in the [unclear] of the site, one kilometer away. That’s why my soldiers got killed.
May preposition na sila. It’s a new fighting just like in Libya, Iraq, and the Syria.
It takes them about six years to recover a certain territory. Why? Because they are covered by not natural, artificial houses but made of concrete.
So we do not — For the mosque, I told them, “Do not destroy the mosque. It is a holy place for the Muslims.”
Until now that is — They are there, some, and that is why I said, “We do not destroy the holy places because…”
Look, you are in a hurry with me? And you want me to attack. I can do it. I can reduce the mosque into rubbles, thereby killing all the people inside.
You want me to do that? I have ordered the military and the police not to do it. Why? Because there are two million plus Filipinos deployed abroad working in Muslim countries.
You have to — You must be an idiot or a moron, like the one who said that I am a moron because I surrendered to the Marcoses.
The Marcoses never supported me for the last 40 years that I have been a public official. And I have never lost an election.
And I never asked anybody. I was just relying on the name of my father who was Governor of our place many, many years ago.
And it was an honest life for them. And that is what I want for the country. Honesty. That’s why I hate corruption.
There’s only one, no second, no pardon, no nothing. You steal from government, P500 pesos, 1,000, it’s still the same. And because I do not want to humiliate people, some of them are already at the age of retiring two or three years from now.
So I reckoned that by this time, 65. Most of their children have already finished schooling.
Some are doctors, lawyers, and even police. So I would not want to put them to shame. And I would just say “Go out silently into the night and I don’t want you.”
People were asking me if I’m one of those responsible for the charges brought to the Ombudsman. I’ve told you I am not into the habit of prosecuting people during my term.
I never talked to you about prosecuting Aquino for the Mamasapano or Gloria Arroyo for corruption.
I said, “I will just work as President as simply — simply as it could be.” I even ordered the removal of my picture in all government and schools.
My face, I have yet to prove that I am a hero. To enjoy the privilege of my picture being placed there in schools, I said [unclear] for our national hero. There are plenty of them.
The newest one is Lapu-Lapu. He was the guy who killed Magellan. He was the first imperialist to set foot in this country in the battle of Mactan.
Pinatanggal ko. I had my pictures removed entirely. I do not want to see it in the offices of my Cabinet members because I know that power is fleeting. I know that because I am a son of a politician.
When my father died, suddenly we found that we are alone. Now that I am President, I know that you would know how to cajole, how to… condescending attitude in front of me.
You do not… You work just like here. It’s on the merit. Board of Generals would decide where you go.
I haven’t talked to General Año or to General Lorenzana about appointments [unclear] I do not even control their recommendees, whether they are pro-Duterte or…
Now, you can ask anybody, the directors. What I said to my government, you have only one, the department… the incoming housing top honcho is General del Rosario and General Año would be in his retirement come October. Insha’Allah, Insha’Allah. He will be the DILG.
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It’s raining, we cannot go out. We spend until five o’clock in the morning answering questions. T*** i**, bakit kayo umabot dito? Yes sir?
Q: Sir, the matrix you showed us, can you tell us the general [inaudible]. Is it the angle of drugs [inaudible] that you have previously identified funding the Marawi Crisis, sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, the terrorists here are funding them, including the politicians.
Q: Politicians?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Politicians here in the Central Mindanao.
Q: Na walang kinalaman sa droga?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, might be some of them but they are protecting. I was not saying that Mayor Mabilog was protecting… was making shabu. I said he was a protector number one.
Remember my statement, very, very first early days, when I was President. I called the attention of the Iloilo people.
Your city or your province is the most shabulized, if there is such a word, the most shabulized.
Now, you want me to name them again? It’s Mayor Mabilog and he is out of the country because he’s afraid to suffer the same fate with Parojinog.
But Parojinog, different. At least there is a semblance of an authority. Either he was a protector, but maybe also part of the gambling syndicate.
I am not sure of that story. But I’m sure, whenever he was talking to ano, I was listening to him.
Don’t ask me how I — What kind of listening do I… It was a whisper from God and I was listening to him. So they were all tapped.
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: And I said I was the one who ordered it. And I cannot name the people there, either a police or…
Q: Sir, do you have ballpark figure kung gaano kalaking drug money ‘yung pinour (pour) in para sa siege na ito?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I cannot make a… Maybe when the — You’re talking of damage?
Q: No, sir. Drug money that has been…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I said we will know after… We would have cleaned up the place. The military’s under orders to clean the place also. Before we leave, we have to make sure.
Every gun, every shabu inside a house will be taken out and the order is prosecution. Explain to me why do you have so many guns and explain to me why there are shabu or you have a lot of money.
Almost millions recovered in the early days of the drug war.
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Almost [inaudible].
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Oo. Hindi lahat pera ha? Shabu.
Q: Shabu and money?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Money [garbled] about 50 million plus and another several… But it is duly accounted for.
Q: Sir, French TV, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah, French TV.
Q: So it’s been like the longest, the [inaudible]. How responsible do you feel about all the destruction in Marawi?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I’m sad that we are fighting and killing Filipinos. On our side, also, I’ve lost so many soldiers. It is not a victory for anyone.
I even said that we do not celebrate that victory. When the time comes, when our task is done, we will pack our things and go home silently.
I do not want any celebration. I said, “It’s not a victory for the Philippines. We all lost in this war.”
You will remember, most of them… all of them. But there are Caucasians who are part of the extremists group.
There were plenty of Arabs who came here via their religion or… You know, just like in other places, there are bishops and there are those missionaries who come here, Americans, and we respect them so that we allow them under the provisions freedom, of education.
But we never realized that those who have pretended to be Imams or maybe Imams and they were Arabs and they joined the fray.
I have that brief. Maybe the military, I am not in a position to force them. But, well, maybe someday they would show all.
Because footages were also taken while they were fighting. But as to the decision of whether it’s good or not, I’ll leave it to the military, for after all, they will be the first victims if anything goes wrong.
Q: And what [inaudible] here once the battle of Marawi would be over?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: We will need a lot of money to rebuild Marawi. I have promised that to the people of Marawi. And I will comply and abide by my promise.
And that is why I am leaving some of the military guys and even the… the construction company of the military.
I do not know how they term it but the ones who… [Anong pangalan niyan?] Ah, yeah, engineering brigades. There will be a lot of things to do here.
Q: Mr. President, what are your main conclusions and main decisions in order to prevent something similar like Marawi? If it happens again during your Presidency?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It will happen again and again and again. I’ve warned them before that if they lose the land mark.
I’ve warned the military, and many of the first… I think it was the first command conference that I attended when I was President. And I said this thing will be fought for generations to come.
And maybe your sons and daughters [inaudible]. Because the ISIS has contaminated so many people pretending to invoke the name of Islam.
It is not Islam. I know because I said, when I was young I used to visit here.
Must have been misquoted when I said a few times. You just keep quiet. That is of recent memory when I was President.
When I was a small boy, I used to come to my grandmother here. She died already many years ago. But I used to visit with my cousins, Marawi.
So the hotbeds of — For those who are willing to embrace an ideology of destruction and killing, it is not Islam.
It is a… You can never find any good, a Muslim and would say that it is the Islamic practice of killing all infidels, referring to those who are non-Muslim.
It’s a violation of God’s directive. That’s why they are enough like the mayor, congressman here.
Q: Sir, good evening.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mamaya na ‘yan, kay sila naman. Sige kayo diyan.
Q: Sir, ang ASEAN would on November.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.
Q: Now, ang preparations — Today is September, so ‘yung October, palagay ninyo, matatapos ninyo?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It’s just around the corner.
Q: Opo. It’s just around the corner?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: On the wings. They’re there awaiting.
Q: Sir, any reaction coming from other leaders of iba-ibang bansa na… dito sa nangyayari sa Marawi. Meron po ba silang — Have you talked with them? Aside from the support that they are giving?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Everybody knows that. America is one who help us. But we’ll also have to thank China for providing for the shortfall of the arms that we are not getting from America because of the Human Rights allegations. They suspended the sale of M-16 rifles made by SIG Sauer. And the 23,000 that I needed was not there.
So I had to go to China. It was really because of the Americans. Because I found China to also be a very sympathetic race, and it’s a patient generation holding power now and they understood the problem.
And they’re giving us more arms come September, I don’t know. The military would not tell me so I would not know how to respond to questions when will it be given.
But we have cargo planes with M16 and the sniper rifles. And I would like to say that you guys on China, you make good guns now.
Your sniper accounted for also the side losing so much. It’s accurate, it’s good, and I even have one like that.
Q: Mayor, another one, can you update us also on the spillover nung gulo po dito sa Marawi dahil once na-interview namin kayo sa Malacañang before, sinabi niyo po na mag-spillover. Can you update us?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Harsh. Yes. It’s now spilling over. Did you bother to find out what’s happening in Cotabato? There’s fighting there. MI and Philippine troops on one side, BIFF and there’s another one. And some raw members of… the raw members of some MN, MI. There’s fighting now going on.
Q: Yes, sir. But aside from that, any threat coming from this group or any other group na manggugulo pa rin po?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: We are anticipating always. We do not rest when the fighting is over here. We will go, we will hit hard.
Again, so on the extremists who killed for nothing. There’s a Mexican way of saying: We are good to you but we will not tell you the truth and as I said, other killer would say, “I kill people for nothing. But since you are my friend, I’ll kill you for nothing.”
We really do not know the truth about that. Suddenly, government was… went into a place here, a house to implement a warrant of arrest. And that was drug. The flashpoint started with the drug race.
Q: Last on my part. ’Yun pong sinasabi ninyo na mga politiko. Are they still here in Marawi supporting the troops—?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.
Q: Ito pong mga—
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: The implementor of the… General Lorenzana. He said to me when I entered this room that they want all mayors tainted with corruption and drugs be placed out of power.
Maybe I’ll suspend them after the investigation or I will censure them or I may dismiss them [inaudible].
Most likely, if it’s really positive, I will mete the worst punishment.
Q: Last but not the least, sir. Pag-upo ba ni General Año as DILG Secretary, ito na po ang tatrabahuin niya, ‘yung mga mayor? Or ngayon pa lang po ipapatrabaho niyo na ‘to
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: He has never stopped working against all forces, against the legitimate [inaudible]. Kaya they will not stop. They’ve been there fighting in and out.
Whenever they are assigned, there’s trouble, there’s an NPA problem, and we will also — They will have to take care of that.
There’s no talk forthoming your way or our way with the Reds because I do not see even a slight sincerity.
They want us to hurry up as if we are their servants, and maybe because we were friends before. And I’m still friends with now.
As a matter of fact, I requested them to release a policeman who was suffering from arteriosclerosis, that’s what the doctor said.
That’s really something of a circulatory problem. They obliged. They released. I said, you tell — I told my aide to call them and said, “Tell them that that policeman is sick. He has medications for the heart and if he dies in your hands, it’s your responsibility and the killing would be so unnecessary.”
Q: Thank you, Mr. President
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Thank you.
Yes? ‘Yung magaganda… Binata. May asawa ka na?
Q: Sir, you mentioned [inaudible] that martial law will be lifted anytime after the clearing operations in Marawi?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, when it’s safe. The catchword is when it is safe here in Mindanao, there is no [inaudible] of spillage of men. As long as it remains manageable and the police can take care of it.
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, I said I have to clean the place and watch out if there is a spillover or any sympathetic group would initiate the trouble again.
Q: Sir, the rehabilitation…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Immediately. When it is safe for people in government, for General del Rosario to go around and he’s unmolested, nothing happens, it will be safe.
I don’t know if there will be a resurgent. We will make it safe.
Well, for those…. The guys who did not turnover their proper taxes, we have collected a lot. You know, remember the case against my son and my son-in-law?
Well, he’s a lawyer. They are from Paoay. His father, the parents-in-law of Inday are really the Moraleses of Paoay. The eldest is the Ombudsman.
So, when they were retained by Mighty King, Mighty King thought all the while that if they had a lawyer close to me. But you know, I cannot stop anybody from being a doctor or a lawyer.
I cannot — That is lawyering. That is the practice of medicine and accountant. Hindi ko mapigil. Sinabi ko lang, “You know the rules.”
And in the initial days, they were offering three million, it’s just a b*** s**. They were the lawyers. And I told Sonny Dominguez, “How much are they worth for cheating on us?” And Dominguez said, “It has to be like 40 million, 45.” Billion, rather.
So I have the money to start rehab — I cannot build them mansions, but I can build decent houses for them. I cannot provide the destroyed mansions there. We do not spend for the rich people. We only spend for those less fortunate and do not… cannot afford something like…
You guys are going home? Sige, I will escort you out. You have guns? [Meron po] Yeah, you should. Do not give it to the enemy. They can take it away only over your dead body. Ganun talaga. Parang sundalo, ganun.
Q: ‘Yun na ho nasa isip ko, sir. Magtira ka ng isang bala.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kainin mo. You want to be decapitated in public and make a service boy there? Ako nga sinabi ko, “I will not surrender even one tip of my finger. You have to kill me.”
Q: [off mic]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sino? Who’s asking it?
Q: Actually, it’s from Pia Ranada from Manila.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Nandito siya? Ah, wala. Hindi ako sumagot baka marinig pa niya. Pia, Pia ka diyan. ‘Yung payat?
—END—
