President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the troops during his visit to the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City on July 3, 2020. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
(Official transcript released by the Presidential Communications Operations Office)
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Presidential News Desk
SPEECH OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING THE TALK TO TROOPS IN ZAMBOANGA CITY
[Delivered at Edwin Andres Air Base, Zamboanga City | 03 July 2020]
Kindly sit down. Thank you.
I would not go to the exercise of introducing everybody. Kilala naman ninyo lahat so I’d like to go direct to the point and I have a prepared speech for you pero para sa akin I need a more — parang nag-uusap lang tayo pare-pareho. Parang take me as just not as a President but as a somebody who is here to make a plea, a pleading.
Alam mo nangyayari talaga sa buhay ng sundalo itong mga ganitong… Whatever be the reason ng kabila or whatever be the motive the fact is you are in a place where everybody is holding a firearm. So it is not easy for one to lose his patience or maybe ‘yung nakalimutan niya ‘yung esprit de corps at in a moment of insanity ginawa ‘yon.
Iyong namatay na mga sundalo si Indamog, Managuelod, Velasco and Asula. It was a waste of lives actually. But ever since ‘yung araw na ‘yon, I am — totoo I was really very sad kasi mahal ko ang sundalo ko.
At ‘yung pagmamahal ko sa inyo just like the giving of the gifts, natural ‘yan. Do not take it as a form of bribery or what. Anyway you must remember that it’s government property also, it’s not ours.
Itong nangyari masama. Pati ako on the sideline, nakita ko na hindi nga maganda and it has generated so much maybe hatred and so much animosity between the two units sa PNP pati ang Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is not good because in the end it will be the people will bear the brunt of all these things.
Alam mo hindi ko kayo mapigilan. Kung gusto ninyong gumanti o gusto ninyong mag-resbak and then go ahead, I cannot stop you. But also at the end of the day just give me one answer: Did the country benefit from furthering the violence?
Alam ko galit kayo at dapat magalit talaga kayo, eh ako mismo galit eh sa sitwasyon, sa nangyari.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the troops during his visit to the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City on July 3, 2020. SIMEON CELI JR. JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
But I am here to just make a simple request, a plea na ‘yung nangyari, the best thing for us to do which is the only way para sa atin… Nasaan ‘yung NBI nandito? Sumama ba ‘yung NBI? [Official: Wala sir, negative sir.]
I have directed the director to investigate. Sinabi ko sa kanya imbestigahin mo, search for the truth at kung nakita na ninyo, make it public so that everybody will understand the situation.
Kasi kung hindi ninyo mahintay at ang sakit ninyo… Eh it makes life a bit dangerous and uncomfortable ka kasi kayo mismo magkita diyan sa labas masalubong mo kung saan but baka ipauna ninyo ‘yung galit ninyo forgetting that there is a more important task to do and that is to protect the people of the Philippines.
Let us not lose sight of that reality. Alam ko na talagang gusto mong umupak rin eh. Pero at the end of the day I will ask you simply: What good did it do for all of us and for our country?
Alam mo sabi ko hindi talaga maiwasan ‘to. I remember may apat na pulis na napatay ng Army in a misencounter talaga, misencounter.
And so there were so much recrimations — recriminations from different units that I was also bothered. I was looking for a way how to handle the situation. Para kasi the ship of state is sailing. Hindi naman typhoon but a little bit turbulent water.
Nandito ako para manghingi ng tulong sa inyo. Help me make the waters calm kasi ang ating bayan, the ship of state is sailing in that area.
Noong ang pulis ang namatay apat — I am not comparing, I’m just saying what I did. Noong nakita ko medyo mainit, kayo you were there in the command conference. I’m sure kung anong sinabi ko sa inyo, I do not want to hear anything about that incident at all.
Mahirap kasi na mag-ano ng istorya ng patayan ng mga tao mo. It is not a pleasant task and it’s not a good one. So nakalimutan na ‘yon.
Now, huwag ninyong isipin na ‘yan rin ang gusto ko kasi may nakita akong mali, mag-neutral na lang ako sa salita ko.
But I have my own misgivings about the whole thing. But pending the release or pending the [investigation] of the NBI, we all must just keep our silence and hope that the NBI would find the truth for us. Trabaho nila ‘yan at… [Yes, sir?] Trabaho nila ‘yan and I’m sure that they would not fail me. Kilala ko itong mga ‘to, sila. Matagal na ito sa ano.
Ang sabi ko get the truth. Huwag mong sobrahan, huwag mong kulangan, iyong totoo lang because it will save us the trouble. You bungle everything at may nakita, may nasilip sila na hindi totoo or a concocted one, we cannot control the trouble. Well, kayo na lang ang barilin ko para matapos.
Pumunta ako dito hihingi ako ng tulong ninyo. I am pleading. Nakikiusap ako. Nihangyo ko ninyo na tabangan ko ninyo pagpakalma, to keep the waters in the meantime calm and we wait for the result of the investigation.
Iyan ang pinuntahan ko dito kasi mahal ko ang sundalo ko. Mahal ko rin ang pulis ko. Puro nagtatrabaho. And at the end of the day, maski ano ang desisyon dito sa baba, ‘pag sinabi ko na huwag na muna, do not… Eh nasusunod. Ako ang nasusunod kaya I feel so responsible sa mga pulis ko pati sa mga militar.
There is now this raging feeling of maybe hate. It could be hate which is a dangerous thing really to nurture. It does not do any good because there’s the investigation. And I am giving you my word of honor that the investigation will proceed to find out the truth unfettered, unbridled by anybody except ‘yung sa trabaho. Walang makialam at ‘yung totoo lang. Iyon ang maasahan ninyo. At kung sino man ang may kasalanan, then he has to pay for it.
What I’m saying is we’re trying to figure out how we can in the meantime do something to give you the assurance that justice will be done. So I’m giving it to you, I said, as a word of honor of a President na I will find out the truth from the investigators and I hope that it would satisfy all.
Wala namang iba eh. You want to take revenge? For what? Gusto ko rin pumatay ng pulis? For what? Would it make the four officers come back to life?
At ‘yung mga pulis kung may kasalanan — kung may kasalanan — eh ‘di hintayin natin at pagkatapos, they will be prosecuted either a court martial or a regular court, wala akong pakialam.
I said I do not — I do not… Itanong ninyo maski sino, maski kayo mga opisyal, there never was a time na may hiningi ako na pabor na “ganito, ganito” ilakad ko isang tao.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the troops during his visit to the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City on July 3, 2020. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
Nandiyan ‘yan si Delfin Lorenzana kilala kami niyan major pa ‘yan siya sa — na-assign sa Scout Ranger Regiment sa Davao. Wala akong — kung — on the level talaga ‘yang trabaho namin.
Ako, ayaw kong gustong sabihin ninyo na magkautang na loob kayo sa akin. I do not nurture mga loyalty or “ah ito bata ito ni ano, ito ganon, promotion.” Hindi ako ganoon.
When he was — even when I was the mayor of Davao City, iyong mga barangay captain na ayaw nila, ayaw nila ‘yung mga pulis na-assign doon, gusto nila palitan. Maraming mga laro itong mga buang na ito eh. Tari-tari, hantak. Sabihin ko talaga, “You go to Dela Rosa or you go to Danao or you go to sa — diyan. Huwag kang maghingi sa akin ng pabor na ganon.” I do not. At least ako, alam nila.
Ngayon, ang masabi ko lang sa inyo is ‘yang gusto ko talagang maimbestiga ito at gusto ko lumabas ang totoo at gusto ko ‘yung may kasalanan will have to face the consequences. Ganoon na lang ang sabihin ko sa inyo.
I’ll tell you, hindi ninyo alam ‘yan. Hindi niyo alam ‘to eh. But you know, I was the only candidate na of the so many things sa kampanya, kung anong madaldal mo, ako lang ‘yung tumingin sa kanto, ‘yung dinadaanan namin sa kampanya. Noong nakita ko, “O ito pala sila. How about them?”
Alam mo, I promised to double your salary, pulis pati sundalo; and I did it. But you should know the story behind. Eh sabay ‘yun sa TRAIN Law, sa bu — sa Department of Finance, kay Dominguez.
So ako naman, I was insisting on the money intended to increase your salaries. After so many debates, because most of the congressmen were favoring for unahin muna ang TRAIN Law, sabi ko nakapangako ako.
Now, kung hindi ninyo mabigyan ang sundalo — tanungin mo ‘yan sila lahat alam nila, dito sa itaas, si Delfin ‘yan, Senator Zubiri and Senator Gordon — sinabi ko, “Kung hindi ninyo masali ang increases ng pulis pati military, I will resign. I will pack my things and go home to Davao to retire.”
Adre, hindi ako atat na atat maging presidente. I am a disposable president because that is this the — ‘yon dapat ang ano. Kasi kung ayaw ninyo, kung galit kayo, o ‘di tanggalin ninyo ako, mag-coup d’état kayo.
Pero sa akin, hindi na kailangan magdala pa ng maski isang M16. Papuntahin mo lang ‘yang mga military commanders at pulis at sabihin nila, “Ayaw ka na namin.” Maski hindi pa ako tapos sa termino ko sabihin ko, “Sige, okay. No problem.”
‘Di ba in the conference natin minsan, sa command conference, nagtampo ako sa isang general dahil ‘yung medisina para sa sundalo nawala. So noong sinabi ni Delfin, “Sir, may problema tayo.”
So I fired… Sabi ko, “Alisin mo ‘yan. Alisin mo ‘yan at…” Ganoon mangako ako, kailangan tutuparin ko ‘yan and I stand by my word.
Iyong mga ganun sa sundalo. Lahat na hiningi — not because nakikiusap ako ngayon para sumunod kayo sa akin now, no. I’ll leave it to your individual conscience tonight. When I leave, think for yourself, do not think what I have talked to you about. Hindi ako nag-aano.
Pero ang sundalo lahat ng hiningi ninyo, sa ospital maski sa — binigay ko. Mayroon kayong 50 million a month diyan sa ospital ninyo. Iyon namang 50 million sa V. Luna, doon sa AFP Hospital. Buwan-buwan ‘yan, nandiyan ‘yan.
So there will never be a time na sabihin nila “naubusan kami ng medisina” kasi nandiyan ‘yang 50 million a month. Sabi ko sa kanila, “Huwag ninyong luluin ‘yan kasi para sa sundalo ‘yan.”
Oras na may marinig ako na may sundalo nag-complain na walang medisina, eh p****** i** magka — magkal****-l**** tayo. Ganoon na lang. You know because my father was once a governor so I have a lot of — established a good rapport with military and police officers.
Iyon ang… Kaya ako nag-ano ng — nag-cultivate ng magandang ano. Pero hindi ‘yan sabihin mo para backup-an ninyo ako maski nag-corrupt na ako, backup-an ninyo ako. No. Bahala kayo. Isipin ninyong mabuti. Kapag ‘yon na ang pinakamabuti ninyo, sabihin ninyo sa akin. Kasi ‘pag ayaw na ninyo sa akin, alis ako.
At ‘yung suweldo ninyo ngayon, nag-away kami. Iyan si Senator Bong Go, siya ‘yung go-between, tawagan sila. Sabi ko kay Gordon pati kay Zubiri, “Kapag hindi ninyo palusutin ‘yang double the salary sa sundalo pati pulis, magre-resign ako ngayon.” Wala man masyado akong bagay na dinala diyan sa aking bahay, balot ako, uwi ako ng Davao.
Iyan na lang ang ano ko. Just to impress upon you that the person you are talking to you now may pagtingin sa iyo na pagmamahal sa inyo and that kung sabihin ko, adre, hindi ito aregluhin. Imbestigahin natin. Hayaan natin ang NBI. Pagkatapos niyan, kung sinong may kasalanan, ipakulong natin.
Hindi ako nag — hindi ako nag-aano. At sinasabi ko lang ‘yan so that you will know the sincerity in me kasi hindi ninyo alam ‘yung mga ‘yon eh. Hindi ninyo alam na I really provided everything. Provided you a new building, lahat ng kailangan ninyo, ‘yung baric to hasten the healing, nandiyan na sa inyo binigay ko. Ang hinihingi ko na lang ‘yung understanding ninyo sa nangyari.
Now kung — ewan ko kung sisirain mo ang… Gusto mo magpatay tayo ng pulis diyan, lima, anim na pulis sa istasyon, what good will it do? Sabi ko nga doon sa kabila, it will end up in a talk or talk.
Maski anong conflict. Look at Misuari. He staged a rebellion, he has killed so many soldiers, his forces in the past. But where is Misuari now? Misuari is the OI — ambassador to the OIC, oil-producing nation. Bakit nandiyan siya? Well, that’s the reality of it all. La… May mga kalaban ka na hindi mo puwedeng patayin kasi gamitin mo pa. You would need him.
So we need the police diyan sa labas because you take care of insurgency and the more serious problems of the country involving law and order.
Itong mga pulis na ito, they — they have a purpose there and we need them. The Republic of the Philippines need[s] them. Kayo ‘yon ang katulong ninyo kasi ‘pag may gulo na, kung wala nang iba Army na. But ‘yung frontliner sa labas dealing with the civilian population, pulis.
May mga g*** na pulis, sigurado ‘yan. May mga g*** rin na sundalo. So kaya I am not ready to condemn anybody except that we should give time to the NBI to finish the… They have started and they are at it now. Hayaan na natin because sabi ko kilala ko itong mga ‘to. Mga mahuhusay ito at sinsero.
So ‘yon lang ang pinunta ko dito just to make a plea. Hindi dahil diyan sa mag-distribute ng… Ayaw ko nga sana kung nalaman ko kasi may sabihin ako sa inyo.
But anyway, maski saan ako pumunta, maski sa Jolo o kung saan, dala-dala ko talaga ‘yung pangregalo ko sa…
Walang ibang presidente ng Pilipinas na lumingon para sa inyo. Totoo ‘yan. Iyon lang suweldo pati ‘yung mga equipment ninyo sa ospital pati ‘yung medisina para sa gamot, ‘yan lang ang — ‘yon ang…
And it’s not because na nagpapalakas ako. Bakit ako magpapalakas na trabaho man natin ito? In the same manner that the police would also need you. They cannot handle the insurgency problem.
So we need the Armed Forces of the Philippines to keep the integrity of this republic so that the people will be protected. Iyang tao talaga kawawa man. It’s the last lalo na — totoo ‘yang sinasabi ng mga aktibista.
Although hindi natin ma-deny na ‘yung mga mahirap… Kaya ako — example lang, kaya ako pumutok ako noong nakita ko ‘yung mga babae nakaupo sa pavement. Tapos sabi ko, “Ano ‘to?” Pagkabasa ko, naghihintay ng walang…
Sabi ko, “P***** i** ‘yan. You better solve that problem. Give them shelter and give them food.” At binigay ko kay General Año. Hindi ba ninyo — hindi ba kayo nagtaka kung sabihin ninyo nagpapalakas ako sa military?
Tingnan mo ‘yung Cabinet ko, kalahati puro retired generals. Kalahati ng Cabinet members, predominantly diyan. Ang Bisaya diyan dalawa na lang, si Briones pati ako. Karamihan sundalo sila Delfin. Pinauwi ko nga si Delfin noong na-Presidente ako kasi kilala ko nga. Sabi ko, “Tulungan mo ako.”
Nauuna talaga kayo. But you know, itong mga ano, as we try to journey this life, ikaw as a soldier, it’s a very dangerous job. But for the others, for the nation, for the people, para sa kanila na rin kasi hindi natin…
How can you turn your back sa tao? The huge mass of almost 110 million. Iyon ang pino-protect natin. Wala masyado tayong pera but we try — we try to make the people happy.
So it behooves upon you to think about that solemn duty. Iyong pangyayari on the side lang ‘yon. Nangyayari ‘yan. Hindi ‘yan ‘yung sabi sideline na hindi importante. Importanteng maimbestigahan at justice is rendered.
But do not… Walain ninyo ‘yang hatred kasi it has no place sa atin. We cannot take revenge. We cannot go there and get them and lynch them. It ain’t that way. Ang importante malaman at ‘yung totoo umabot sa inyo at kuntento kayo na ‘yon ang totoo.
So ‘yan. Ako dito pumunta to make a plea. I am pleading for your understanding at saka pakalmahin mo ang mga tropa. Explain to them their role in the society that the real enemy is itong mga NPA pati itong mga Abu Sayyaf.
Alam ba ninyo kung bakit binigyan ko kayo ng sidearms lahat? It cost me a billion. Binigyan ko kayo ng sidearms ang lahat ng sundalo. Alam mo bakit? Masama pakinggan but if you do not agree with me, just forget it. You can do what you want.
Sabi ko, ito ibigay ko sa iyo. Hindi ko nasabi sa lahat ‘yan. Ito bigyan ko kayo ng armas, may tatlong magazine ‘yan puno ng bala. Kapag naubusan ka na ng bala sa M16 mo, mag-hand-to-hand, sipaan na kayo, suntukan diyan, mayroon kang mabunot.
Tatlong magazine ‘yan. Naka-deploy ‘yung isa. Kapag naubos ‘yung isa, bumunot ka pa ng isang magazine. Pero ‘yung pang tatlong magazine para sa ulo mo ‘yan. Kainin mo ang baril mo.
Mas sa akin, mas mabuti’t na lang ‘yan at you committed suicide rather than for me to see my soldier na-capture tapos binaboy diyan sa kampo, kung ano-anong pinaggagawa. You are treated there as an animal, a dog. Then at the end of the day, idi-display ‘yung mukha mo, ilagay sa video, tapos luglugin.
Sabi ko huwag kang magpahuli nang buhay. Kaya ‘yan .45. Iyang .45, ‘pag may nakita ka na kinain, maubusan na ‘yan ng bala pupu… I would rather that you — that I would not prefer the other… Ayaw kong makita ang sundalo ko na ginugulgol ‘yung ulo.
Mamamatay ako. Kaya nga gusto ko rin magwala. Sino man ang alang-alang ako ang pumunta doon? Gusto ko rin gumanti. Pero as always, I am not the one in charge for that. I am not a police. I am not a military man.
So iyon lang po. Hindi na ako magtagal. Nakikiusap lang ako sa inyo. Pakalmahin lang ninyo ‘yung tropa. Explain to them na wala talaga tayong makuha kung mag-init ‘yung ulo ninyo. We will destroy the country. In a way it will cause a fracture in the relation of both Army and…
Eh ‘yung may kasalanan, ikukulong natin. Nandiyan ‘yung NBI. Iyon lang. Try to help calm the waters. We’re sailing in a very almost — kung lantsa ba o… Huwag nating hayaan na…
So I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart that you are here to hear me. At least giving me a chance to talk to you and pleading that we solve it the way ‘yung dapat gawin.
Maraming salamat sa sundalo ninyo dito. And I hope to see you one of these days. Thank you. [applause]
– END –
