(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 CEREMONY OF NEWLY PROMOTED GENERALS AND FLAG OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
[Delivered at the Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace | 08 May 2018]
Maybe after my prepared speech, this is just a few minutes, I’d like to talk about my sentiments of the moment vis-à-vis with our service to the Republic of the Philippines.
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the members of the Cabinet; General Carlito Galvez Jr., Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines; our newly-promoted Generals and Flag Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; ladies and gentlemen.
I express my heartfelt congratulations to our
newly appointed generals and flag officers. As your Commander-in-Chief, I share your pride and honor in achieving this significant milestone in your careers.
As the keepers of peace and protectors of our nation, the Filipino people [count on you] to perform your duties with the highest standards of excellence and professionalism. I depend on you to stand with us at this important time in our nation’s history.
Despite the significant progress that we have made against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality, our country is not yet safe from harm and danger. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that we can prevail against those challenges if we work together as a people and as a nation. It is my hope that you remain steadfast and vigilant in sustaining our efforts as we strive to fully eradicate these social ills.
It is for this reason that I look to our newly appointed generals and flag officers to serve with integrity and uphold the rule of law. May you lead the men and women of the AFP and hone them into exemplary and effective soldiers our citizens can rely on.
As you fulfill your responsibility to protect the Filipino people and preserve the Republic, I assure you that I shall stand by you as you start your respective tasks. In return, I ask that you help me restore the people’s faith in their government.
We will see to it that the nation that we hand over to the next generation of Filipinos is one that is more stable, harmonious and progressive.
I have great confidence in the experience and abilities that each of you possess. Together, let us continue to make great strides as we collectively bring our nation towards a better and brighter future.
And may I add. Well as I have promised you and as I am wont to do every since as a city mayor, I have always advocated the merit system. And for those of you who have passed by the portals of the City of Davao, for the police, you know very well that merit is very important to me.
And I do not and I have not to this day interfered in the chain of command nor in the promotion or transfer or anything that is within your province. I have kept my distance, I have kept my promise that everything shall be on merit. And I do not tinker with assignments and even at the behest of some barangay captains in all of the years that I was mayor for 23 years.
Isa lang ang hinihingi ko sa inyo: that you help me. You are not — but help me stamp graft and corruption. That was my main promise.
And you know very well that I won the presidency not because of anybody. And that is why to our credit, pati kayo na, nobody but nobody, no politician ever, ever calls me or intercedes for anybody in matters that are, I said, within your jurisdiction.
I have never succumbed to that policy and it will continue until the last day of my term.
All that I want is that we serve the country and on our own merit, we will do it according to what is the measure or the standard of your performance in your duty.
Marami akong napaalis sa corruption. Meron bago. It has nothing to do at all with any other reason. Basta I just don’t want to make publicity out of it. I’ll leave to everybody to decide.
Pero ang masakit nito, most of those I have dismissed actually were the very same people that urged me to run in the first place.
Sila ‘yung pabalik-balik ng Davao, sila ‘yung sige udyok nang udyok. Ako naman dito sabi ko, “ayaw ko,” even to the last day, I did not come here to file my certificate of candidacy because I did not want to run.
But I do not know ha. The presidency to me personally is a — is God’s gift to a certain individual.
I had about only one governor. Wala ako sa Visayas, dalawa sa Mindanao and I was really almost also horrified at the end of the day nung lumabas ‘yung boto.
And all of these I have… However hardened you are, eh ang kalaban ko lang naman ‘yung mga pari pati ‘yung mga bishop na tonto. Wala man akong… It’s always God’s decision.
Kaya nung tinanong ako ng Diyos, well in — ‘yang hindi nagsagutan. Eh parang buang ka diyan. Sabihin nila “you talk to God.” But you really talk to God in your meditation. That’s what it is.
Sabi ko kung what is the meaning of this event in…? What do you want me to do? And always, He would always say, it boils down to love of country and to serve your fellowmen.
I do not… I am not into religiosity. Hindi naman ako sumusunod ng pari, pareho ng doktor, maraming bawal, maraming ano-ano.
Eh pagka ganun hindi mo na magawa ang ano. The reason why I do not go to confession at hindi ako nagsisimba, ang confession kasi sabihin mo, “Father, I have committed so many sins.” Isa ka pa p***** i** sige ka salita kontra sa gobyerno, isunod kita. [laughter]
Eh ako basta I have my own God and… Ito nangyari ito. Pag-usapan ko bago ko makalimutan. Two minutes lang.
T*** i** itong Time Magazine na ‘to. Inilagay ako doon sa mga despot. Hindi naman ako… Ba’t diktador ba ako? Since when? Since when did I send somebody to prison for just talking against me? Sige nga.
Inilagay pa ako doon sa… Isinabay pa ako doon sa apat kami na mga… Mukhang monster pa ang pagka-drawing ng mukha namin. [laughter]
Typically, the drawing itself was really to fit you as a despot. ‘Yung what they can only remember ‘yung madre.
You know, I can take criticisms from the military. Even the private soldier is entitled to criticize me. A garbage collector or a congressman or a general or whoever, a waiter, can always criticize me and I will accept it in stride.
You know why? Because he pays for my salary. I am a worker of government and I serve the people. And if you are not satisfied with what I am trying to do or with my work, by all means you criticize me, and that would really be simply a freedom of expression. But that is limited to Filipinos.
Eh kung magdating itong madre. Mag-sige ka yawyaw diyan. Sasali ka sa eh…
‘Di nakita ko ‘yung kay — wala, hindi ako nagpapatawa, ‘yung kay De Lima. [Meron kang kopya diyan?] Siya man ‘yung maysabi. Foreigners, tourists are not allowed to participate in any blah blah blah, demonstration, protest for or against government. But they should behave.
Nung nakita ko, sabi ko, ito. T*** i**** madre ka. Umalis ka. Tapos sige sila criticize, “Ito talaga si Duterte, human rights violator pati ‘yung madre.”
Oh, hindi man akin ‘to. De Lima man. Punta kayo diyan sa Crame, doon kayo mag-protesta. Bakit niyo ako isali diyan? I was just invoking a circular, not prepared by me, not written by me. Tapos naging strongman na tuloy. Strongman?
Pwede kaya… Kayo, papayag kayo ng strongman? Eh prangka-prangkahan tayo. You? You allow a despot, a dictator to exist in this country? We have always been weaned in the ways of democracy. You would allow me to extend my term even after 24 hours when the term has ended, would you agree to that?
Sabi ko, hindi nila alam ang demokrasya natin. You are the protectors of the Constitution. It symbolizes — ayan, flag. Batas tayo. Hindi naman tayo magkababayan lahat. We eat different foods, prepare different meals, even our ugali, magkaiba, even the dialect, lahat na.
But we have agreed or our forefathers many years ago started this thing about constitutionalism. And we have agreed that despite of our diversity, that we come from different tribes, we have gathered as one to be known as Filipinos and to adopt a Constitution and represented by a flag which we honor like God. ‘Yun lang naman.
So that is just my — in response to this strongman, strongman. I’ll never be one. Huwag kayong maniwala diyan sa Time Magazine. Para lang ‘yan mahalin, mabili ‘yung ano nila. Wala akong pakialam diyan sa strongman, strongman.
Eh ito si Bato. ‘Di ba nung turnover. Sabi niya, “bigyan kita ng ano, Mayor, maglaway ito silang lahat magtingin sa iyo. Magaan. Sniper. Magaan, gawa ng — blah blah blah.”
Sus ‘pag — hindi naman tinignan ng buang na ang braso niya one fourth lang itong akin, pagtanggap ko, pag ganun nahulog pa. Unsa ma ning pusila ni? [laughter] Paano makatama ako ng kalaban nito? ‘Yan ang strongman, si Bato. [laughter]
Karon, sige pag — “ako ang tigas ngayon dito”. Sige ayun, huraw na naman ‘yung mga… Patayin mo lahat ‘yang mga p****** i** ‘yan. L****. Bwisit.
Anyway, it’s just a joke. I am fond of… So I congratulate you all.
We have a problem actually. Terrorism and as I have told you before. May command conference man tayo ngayon. It’s a play of geopolitics and everything. And I’ll explain to you why my attitude ko diyan sa China.
Maybe, meron kasing ano. Paglabas niyan doon sa ano, paglabas doon sa — iba na ang sinabi mo. So I’d rather…
Ma’am, tanungin na lang ninyo ha asawa ninyo kung ano ang — what we will take up. But there is one important matter which I have to convey to the uniformed personnel of the country.
Pagkatapos nito, mag-ano pa naman. Mag-command conference ‘no? Magkain muna kayo. Kuripot ako dito, ma’am. Isang sabaw lang.[laughter] Totoo.
I have — wala akong mga steak, steak. Sabaw, kanin pati isang ulam. ‘Yun lang ang pagkain. Totoo. I do not allow ‘yung lavish.
Sabaw, kanin maliit. ‘Yung malalaki ‘yung tiyan, p*** kulang talaga ‘yan. Pag-uwi niyan, magkain pa ‘yan.
So I am happy that I could join you this night to celebrate at least the milestone of your life that hanggang ngayon, buhay pa tayo at inabot ninyo ‘yung pinaka. Halos ‘yung iba, wala pa. Pero baka pupunta ka doon sa…
I hope everybody of you would make the highest in your career.
Maraming salamat po.
— END —
