(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 THE NEWLY ELECTED PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC. (PNPAAAI) BOARD OF TRUSTEES
[Delivered at the Reception Hall, Malacañan Palace | 20 September 2017]
Before I would read my speech — it is prepared by my staff — I’d like to say that in a few years, ‘yung PNPA will be at the realm of the hierarchy of the Philippine National Police.
In my experience, some of you might have passed by Davao or Mindanao in the course of your being a police officer and member of the PNP. There is much to be desired, I’m very sorry to say that.
Most of the — ‘yung nasa far-flung areas, they’re so sloppy that you see everyday all over the country, headquarters, detachments being raided. Ang puli — ang awareness kasi ng pulis ngayon sa atin is not that good. And it cannot remain so.
At the start of the martial law years, maganda because they were really in a fighting mode. Then, the revolution of Aquino came, and ‘yung merger ng PNP, INP, and there was a blurred picture of what are the specifics even sa character.
And ‘yung disiplina ninyo taasan ninyo nang kaunti. And most of the police are quite lazy, almost indolent sa probinsya. Kaya naman, paturatoy-turatoy kung mag-uwi. They have forgotten that the New People’s Army have renewed their fight against government.
And most of those who are really slaughtered are the ones who does not honor the modality or protocols to observe. Kaya ako naaawa talaga sa mga pulis, because it’s just a matter of police work within the perimeter, if you may — if you are guarding the police station within your AOR, karamihan niyan maliliit lang naman eh, except for the few barangays.
In the meantime that we are not — we are still improving, and I will brief you, I cannot say yet on — in public right now, I have a new plan at it has something to do with the improvement of the intelligence community.
If you have a good intelligence network, and I know that you suffer from lack of funds. Ang sabi ko naman kasi sa inyo, if you need something to improve your fighting capacity and to protect your own men, sabihin ninyo sa akin. Hindi ako nagkulang ng bili. And there are things which are not relayed to me on time, but I got a wind of it maybe in the last few months of fighting in Marawi.
Ngayon ko lang napadala because nobody really told me about it. Just simple as saying na, “Mayor…” You address me as Mayor, do not address me as President. Nakokornihan (corny) ako niyan titulo na ‘yan. Sabihin mo lang na ano, “Ito ‘yung pagkukulang namin.”
Rather than just keep shut about — your mouth and ‘yung malapit na, hindi ko naman talaga alam.
But I said, you will have the best of the police and the military during my time. May priority kayo.
As a matter of fact, tutal malaman man rin ito ng lahat sa gobyerno. Pasensya na po kayo, inuna ko ‘yung mga taong inutusan kong magpakamatay. Kagaya ng Marawi.
I was not really happy declaring martial law because I know the consequences and how it would play out dito sa ating environment.
Kindly improve the police itself. And nandiyan lang kayo. I hope that I would maybe survive the next five years and we will be together. And I intend to leave the office with a strong police and a strong army. Otherwise, we will be vulnerable.
Alam mo naman ang fronts that we are fighting. We are fighting against terrorism.
In our command conference, nothing was said about it, ‘yung first time. It was I who reminded you that there is a looming dark clouds in the horizon.
Nobody was really talking about it. I said may I add something to the agenda today? And I’m talking about the ISIS. On the dot, to a T, ang sinabi ko, “they will come.”
I was just waiting for ‘yung kulo sa Jolo. Because ‘yun ang easiest way of egress and ingress nila eh. Labas, pasok sila diyan because they have the borders also and it’s… All Muslims there.
I’m not saying that they are condoning it, allowing it. But I would say that the movement there would be very easy for them because mga Muslim eh.
And it is a recognized fact that all you have to do is to say that you’re a Muslim and you are allowed to enter any of the countries there.
Hindi naman kagaya nitong mga… It’s ironic that the Christians are not really freely allowed to visit any of the countries there, except for the rich and a few.
And that is why, kung graduate ka ng Moro university in Mindanao. The first dream of yours is really to go to the educational centers in the Middle East, Libya, Egypt and — at saka makapag-Hajj sila.
On the other hand, ito namang Pilipino, itong mga anak ng mga Kristiyanos na mayaman, they would hunger for the American academies. So punta ng Yale, punta ng California, UCLA.
And most of the Christians who would hanker also for a trip to Rome. That is how divided even sa education. But since we are all Filipinos and perhaps what really happen was the imperialism. It’s all imperialism, even Israel. I was talking to a top honcho sa kanilang ano… It’s always imperialism.
The Middle East was invaded by Italy, France, Britain, America. And it was arbitrarily divided into states. There never was any Rus — Syrian, Iraq. They’re all Arabs and it used to be one nation.
‘Yung atin dito, we belong to the Sri Visayas Empire. That is why you find a similarity in the Tausug and the Visayan dialect. If you listen very carefully, you’d get what they’re talking about.
The word Sri Visayas is not peculiar to the Visayan island or the Visaya. It is really a term, part of the empire of the Sri Visayas empire of the Malay race.
So but you have to understand what’s on the ground. Bakit nangyayari ‘to? What seems to be divide us? If there is really a clear reason for that.
So what are our options? Terrorism here and in the Middle East is no really different. It is to destroy which is not Islam and it is to kill whether…
You know, there’s no rhyme or reason even in the Qu’ran which says that you can destroy and kill a person in just [snaps finger] just because he is not a Muslim or considered an infidel.
‘Yan ang mahirap diyan. The catchy word now is they say that they are… Though I disagree as also a… The part Muslim on me says that’s a very stupid thing. And we do not allow that.
And you have to understand first how we came about. So in planning the culture of a certain place, if you are assigned, understand correctly.
What’s on the ground and what’s the driving force? Then, we move to itong sa droga.
As I have said when I was mayor, and if you were assigned in Davao, I said that, “If you try to destroy my country, I will kill you.” If you f*** with drugs and destroy the youth, I’d still kill you.”
And I would like to remind everybody, those who are brilliant to understand the words and those who are really moronic or morons who does not know English word and its implication.
There is no law which says I cannot say that in defense of my country. There is no international law that would bound my mouth shut. Because just as I say, “Do not destroy the youth of this land because I will kill you.”
It’s a very legitimate and a valid reason to say that because the problem is already here. And alam mo — [One minute]
Itong droga is an organized crime. You cannot have an operation of drugs kung ang — wala kang nagluluto from whatever source — it could be in China, Taiwan, Philippines.
Then you have the lieutenants, the distributors and the peddlers, who may be rich or may be poor but still, if it is an organized crime, it is really a conspiracy to commit a crime.
So as Mayor or as a President, I said, “I will enforce the law neither for the rich, neither for the poor, but for everybody.”
Wala akong pakialam kung namatay ka penniless. Kung wala ka talagang pera, that’s not my problem. My problem is to enfo — good that they are listening — enforce the law.
The law does not say, “You excuse those who are poor.” Place it on the law books and penal statutes and I will honor it.
But for as long as I am enforcing what is expected of me and as a President of a Republic, when I say that I will enforce the law against everybody, and that is sauce for the gander and sauce for the goose.
Sabi nila, “Where are the big fishes?” Eh binigyan ko na kayo ng mga mayor na big fishes.
Itong si Mabilog, hindi na nga umuwi eh. Siguro alam niya na si Espenido naghihintay.
Parojinog. There was really no democracy ang Ozamiz. Kayong nagpunta doon, was there? Was there an election? Was there a valid election, either national o local doon?
Every election is always patayin ‘yung kalaban pati ‘yung pulis niya na ayaw sumunod sa kanya. Ang p***** i** niya, pinapatay niya.
Kaya ako, p*** sabi ko, “This guy is a dangerous guy.” We are a narco-state.
Now, itong Congress, let me state now: I am not interested to appoint barangay captains. Disabuse your mind about Duterte holding so much power.
Hindi na ako politiko po, I cannot run again. I do not care if I get one or two. Tutal, tumakbo ako, wala akong barangay dito sa Visayas, Luzon, a single soul except Davao City.
Wala akong barangay captain. So huwag ninyo akong — ako pa ang itapon ninyo na, “Eh sabi ni Duterte, ‘walang elections.’” I told you that we are a narco-state now.
Forty percent of the barangay captains and a lot of mayors. ‘Yan lang ang sinabi ko.
Kung sinabi ninyo, nagtanong kayo, “Is it good to hold an election?” “Bahala kayo.”
Kung sabihin ng ibang mga senador na, “Don’t you think that it is dangerous to place too much power in the hands…?” Ano bang makuha ko diyan? What? Boto?
I cannot run anymore that’s why I am not campaigning for anybody or for anything.
I go into the provinces to look at the problems — into the problems rather.
Wala akong ano, I have no agenda. ‘Yung sabihin mo na… ‘Yung mga critics, totoo ‘yan. Sinadya ko lang ‘yung binitawan ng PTV-4 na istasyon ko pati ‘yung akin, o ‘di lumabas ‘yung totoo.
Sabi ko… Ako? Mga pulis kayo. Look into the — before the election, I said, “You are in power, Malacañan. Kalkalin ninyo ang pinakabasura ng Rural Bank dito.
But don’t make me look stupid by just — you bide your time and you do the bidding, kahit anong gawin ko. Kalokohan ‘yan.
Wala ako, ako trabaho lang. So sabayan ninyo ako. Graft and corruption will stop.
Wala akong palusutin sa go — friend or foe. In the early days, you lost your Secre — DILG Secretary. Waste of money.
A lot have been fired. Marami na akong pinaalis. Hindi ko lang pina-publish because I do not want to humiliate maybe the families. ‘Di sikreto na lang. “Umalis ka na.” Just go silently into the night. Pero hindi ko talaga papalusutin ‘yan.
Pakisamahan lang ninyo ako, five years. Trabaho lang tayo. Your reward? Maybe after five years, you’d see a very much improved country. Less — hindi naman talaga natin ma-ano ‘yang drugs.
For as long as it is drugs, it will remain to be drugs. But we can pull it down to the barest minimum.
And a very much improved police. Bibigay ko sa iyo lahat ‘yung gusto ninyo. Kaya ‘yung hindi ko binibitawan — walang mayor na — exercise ng police power — selected few.
If the mayors cannot handle power and they cannot handle greed, I’m sorry. Nandiyan na kayo sa position, there are provinces which I cannot mention now, maybe in a command conference. Nagpapatayan sila diyan tapos pinabahid sa akin ‘yung ano… But I know, sila ‘yan. Hindi ako matalo sa intelligence.
I will not — anymore. Basta sinabi ko, bata ninyo ako. In the realm of your work and my work, bata ninyo ako. Ako ‘yung utusan ninyo, “bilhin mo ito, bilhin mo ‘to.” Kayo —
Your life and my life, there is no less meaning of each other’s existence. Pareho tayo. One life, different work, and — [inaudible] ‘yung Constitution, ako ‘yung… Don’t bother to… Tutok lang kayo doon sa Chief ninyo. He means well, si Bato — eh na-assign naman kayo ng Davao, sundin lang ninyo.
Ang hinihingi ko lang na walang graft and corruption. So kung ano ‘yung maibigay doon sa itaas, pagdating, kailangan dumating sa baba ‘yan. Do not ask the station commanders to liquidate an amount na hindi dumadating.
Because that is the practice, they are forced to — pati kayong dumaan, ‘wag na tayong magbolahan. Down the line, it has to stop. Ibigay mo doon sa pinaka patrolman ang pera niya. Ako nag…
Ano bang ranggo ninyo? Dublado na ang sweldo ninyo, January. A lot of you will be receiving something like, almost 82. ‘Yang si Rowena, ‘yan man ‘yung pera na marami. ‘Yung ano mo…
Ito si — isa pa man ‘yan. ‘Wag mo nang balikan ‘to, wala ‘to, layasan mo ‘yan. Makihalo pa ‘yan doon sa pera mo. Kalalaki ng sweldo niyo.
The losses, it’s not — it could not be equal, one on one or one for one. But the highest sa inyo is 73.
On the average, 73 percent. Kaya ang lalaki ng suweldo ninyo. Dapat kayo na ang holdapin (holdup) ng mga kriminal, p***** i**. Eh kayo ‘yung may pera eh.
And just imagine, maghabulan lang tayo. Mine is one hundred. The generals, plus their allowances, sosobra ‘yan. Ako, magkalkal ka dito ng resibo ni-isa, sweldo lang ako, nothing else.
Generals, plus the allowances, lahat — t*** i** kung wala pa namang trabaho, ‘pag sumali siya ng droga, pagbabarilin ko kayong lahat.
It’s a f******… Idiotic thing to do that. Please do not do that. Please do not do that. Magkabarilan tayong lahat. Ah tingnan mo. Hamunan kita… Hamunin talaga kita ng draw. Please do not do that.
Magkasala na kayo. Dalawang asawa mo, tatlo? O sige bahala ka. T*** i***** ‘yan, filan (file) ka ng kaso. Pero ‘wag ‘yang droga, pati ‘yang murder for hire, ‘yung mga ninja.
Ito pera ‘to. Pinatungan ko ng two million ‘yang mga l**** ‘yan, bakit wala pang — hanggang ngayon? ‘Yung ninja cops, ilan ba ang nag-surrender? Just — Balutin mo lang ‘yung ulo nila, ilagay mo diyan sa hagdanan ko, okay na ‘yan. No questions asked.
Iyong mga p***** i***** pulis na ‘yan, g***. Gusto ninyong mag-negosyo, sabihin ninyo.
Look, ganito. Kung may problema kayo at mabigat and ‘di niyo kayang — the headquarters cannot solve it — you call Bong. Kilala ninyo si Bong and we will talk, and invite you for coffee and we will talk about your problem.
‘Yan ang pangako ko sa inyo. Any problem at all. Cancer ng anak, asawa, ganun. Malaki ang ano… Come to me.
‘Wag ka nang maghingi doon sa — dadaldal pa ‘yan. I know na malaki ang gastos diyan.
We can always socialize the pricing, marami namang… May government hospitals o maski saang ano ninyo, gusto ninyo.
Kung gusto mong ipadala sa America, eh ‘di okay. Kasi mahal mo. Ayaw mong mamatay siya kasi marami na sila.
Salamat po.
— END —
