3rd ARMM Local Government Summit

The President attends the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Local Government Summit held in Davao City on 1 December 2016.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

DURING THE 3RD AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO (ARMM) LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUMMIT

SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier, Davao City

1 December 2016

Kindly sit down. Salamat po. May lamok siguro sa kabila, makati eh.

Secretary Sueno; Secretary Mama-o; Secretary Alonto; Governor Mujiv Hataman,; ‘yung aide ko, baka nakalimutan niya; my fellow workers in government; my beloved countrymen.

I do not know if you’d believe me but let me just tell you a very simple story. Iyong lahat-lahat dito ng dynamics sa Mindanao, every kind of proposal noon pa, hatiin o buwagin, and autonomous dito, autonomous doon, this has all been a product of decades, decades na. It’s about mga 40, since sa College of Law pa kami ni Dabs Mama-o.

And all these years, lahat dito nagsa-suffer. We are suffering because there seems to be no cohesive action on the part of the Moro people and the central government. Ilang meetings na, ilang several attempts, from iyong SPCPD until… But instead of uniting, it was more of divisive measures, one against the other Moro tribe or groupings.

Hindi ko malaman kung saan talaga ako papunta. But I think the only acceptable arrangement, as of today, this moment of our generation, and of the lives of the Moro people is federalism. Other than that, bakbakan ‘to.

And what started during the Spanish era to the Americans who brutalized us and a series of government until now, there has always been just the empty promise of—to the Moro people of a comfortable life even.

Huwag na ‘yung naglalangoy sa kayamanan. Just a simple life na ‘yung anong kanya, ano ‘yung lupa niya magiging kanya, at ano ‘yung pawis niya maibigay niya sa pamilya.

Alam mo sa totoo lang ang pinaka-structure na acceptable aside from the extremist is really federal set-up.

Noong nauwi ako kagabi at kaninang umaga, dalawang leading members of Congress—mamaya ko na lang sabihin—pero sinabi ko na sa kanila. Tumawag. Sabi nila, ‘Rod, okay pa?’ ‘Okay man, sabi ko, walang problema.’ ‘What about itong development na terrorism?’

Look guys, ‘yung terrorism hindi iyon nag-umpisa dito. It was started a very long time ago. Not by the people of Mindanao, but by the colonialists. They started the killing. They started the plunder of the land and they lived off fat of Mindanao. Maganda ang buhay nila.

So it is just a reaction of a person who has been deprived of the most precious thing of all of possessions and that is land.

Iyong… So what’s actually… Ang sinasabi nila Muslim rebellion or a Moro rampage there is actually the Moro nationalism. To put it correctly in the proper perspective.

The anger fed in the minds of the Moro is actually ‘yung nationalism niya sa lupa niya. Just as you would call everybody here a Filipino nationalist who sticks to the interest of his own country.

Hindi ito ano, huwag mong… Hindi naman trabaho ni Hataman ‘yung magpadala ng bomba diyan. O wala man si Mangudadatu pakialam diyan sa terrorism. Those were the words that came to my mind because they are the familiar names that crops up everyday.

Alam mo, sabi ko sa kanila, you have to do more than just pay lip service. You have to start the ball rolling. The Moro people will not wait for another term of a President. At ayaw ko naman magyabang sa totoo lang na kung wala ako mahihirapan.

Ang sinasabi ko lang tuloy, baka hindi na ma-realize ng Moro people, I’m not saying that. I am not an indispensable factor in this island. But what I’m saying, the most, maybe not really golden but the most appropriate opportunity at this time of our generation, tayong buhay ngayon, will be now.

Kasi ako interesado talaga ako sans the influence of other people. Nobody is—a delegation from another country, insisting us that, ‘ito ganito, gawain mo’, ‘ito, mayor, ganito’. I don’t listen to them. I just got my gut feel. Hindi kagaya ‘nong United Nations pupunta dito. Who are they really to…They even suggest to us. This is our land. So we fix it.

And what is the most appropriate na, hindi talaga magkaroon ng full-blown revolution. Because hindi ko talaga mabasa sa kanila eh. Kaya sabi nila, ‘Rod, ayusin mo ‘yan’. Kasi how are we supposed to craft a new law or even to suggest that there will be a plebiscite after we shall have begun to implement a federal system? Matatalo ‘yan sa plebisito. So back to square one tayo.

So the only way really is to convince the richest Moro here in this hall and the poorest Sama diyan sa Quezon Boulevard. And that we have to… Art is the life of accommodation and compromise. Hindi man natin ‘to kasalanan, ang problema ito ang ibinigay sa atin ng mga dumayo dito kaya pagka [recording cut]

And even ‘yung Ilocano. ‘Di mo nga mainitindihan eh. Nainitindihan ng Bisaya, pero ‘yung Panggalatok hindi rin niya naintindihan Ilonggo. Eh ‘yung Maranao, hanggang diyan ka lang, Maguindanao. Pero ilagay mo ‘yan doon sa ‘yung magsalita nang mas mabilis. Eh slow-motion itong Tausug. Eh ‘yung Maranao kung magsalita pareho ng Panggalatok. Papapapapapa. [laughter]

Paano tayo magkainitindihan niyan? Hindi nga tayo nagkakaintindihan sa salita natin. But since we are here already, nandito na tayo sa generation natin, we just have to fix it even for about 20 to 30 years.

Then by the grace of Allah, you might find a good solution for this land. But right now, we have to act.

At sabihin mo na ‘yang mga Maute na ‘yan, sabihin ng mga ISIS, wala tayong pakialam diyan. The ISIS came about because the Americans invaded Iraq on an excuse that there were weapons of mass destruction. Eh wala eh.

So ang Iraq, nagka-watak-watak. Then they started to undermine Libya. And so they killed also Gaddafi and Saddam. And so what happened? Isang tao lang ang ayaw nila. They are trying to erode the foundation of Assad. Were it not for the Russian intervention at ang China because they felt na uubusin ng mga Western powers itong—talagang pabagsakin nila lahat including Iran someday and…Sabi ng Russia pati China, ‘hindi kami papayag’. So they contributed arms that are as deadly as the rebels as armed by the Western powers.

So sino ang nagpapatayan diyan ang mga armas? Kaninong armas ‘yung nagpapatayan diyan ‘yung mga Arabs na Muslim, tingin ninyo? Makita ninyo CNN, I know that you tune in to CNN, BBC. Kaninong armas ginagamit para magpatayan sila?

And what about the excuse of killing your own countrymen, babies and all, paputukan mo ng kanyon and then you invoke the name of a supreme being? What? Are you asking forgiveness or are you praising brutality in this planet? Tapos sundin natin ‘yan so there will be no peace.

Ang next generation, ang mga anak at mga apo ninyo ngayon, saan papunta ‘yan kung kunan mo ng compass? We provide the compass for them to navigate through life kung saan sila magpunta anong tubig to go home to their native land.

How do they navigate amongst the politics and hatred already there? Marami ng massacres, marami ng patayan. Marami na kung ayaw kasi—naubos ‘yung isang pamilya—for both sides actually.

How do you…Kung walang.., Magkaisa tayo ngayon? Ngayon na. Ngayon na kasi ‘pag ayaw ninyo then prepare your grandchildren or children of the days of suffering to come na doon talaga.

Ayaw ko ng mag…Do not look even beyond to search. Manood ka kung ano ang nangyayari sa Aleppo pati Mosul. Iyong the last nakita ko kanina was 37 mostly—bata pati mga babae.

Anong kasalanan ng isang Sunni? Anong kasalanan ng isang Shiite? We all believe in God but why do we have to suffer? There is a great divider between the Sunni and the Shiite. Dito wala. It’s just a matter of category anong klaseng Muslim ka.

In the same manner ang mga Kristiyano ano ka ba? Protestante o…But that’s about all. It’s not a reason to be killing a race. Mauubos na ang mga gago doon. Anak ng…

By the time that this war will be finished and all the terrorists are exterminated, halos sila maubos na rin. So why is the IS? Is the IS connected with the Muslim nationalism? Does it have to have the connectives? Ano? Tell me.

ISIS was a product of the soldiers of Libya and those na hindi binigyan ng importansiya ng America. They became radicalized because they were bombing people with…Ang hinuhulog tag-isang eroplanong gasolina. Until now kita mo ‘yung mga bata na itinatakbo sa ambulansya.

I hope everybody if you do not agree with me, just try to figure out what I’m talking about and you would know.

Ako, I’m offering my term. Sabi ko nga ma-craft lang ‘yan, huwag kayong mamroblema sa akin. If you can craft three years from now ang federal set-up…But I would suggest that it must have a strong President, otherwise, delikado.

And a parliament… The President is limited limang powers lang ‘yan—to convene and to call for an election and maybe in times of war and danger of the state, he can intervene. Iyon lang naman. Pang-gobyerno, pang-gobyerno ibigay mo sa parliament.

So, ano ba ang makakapigil dito? Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Bot, dalian ninyo ‘yan.’ Sabi ko, ‘matapos kayo ng dalawa, tatlong taon, I will step down as President.’ You can have my word. Itaya ninyo ‘yan.

‘Pag nagkaroon ng parliament at mag-election ng presidente, I will willingly step down. I will resign. I will not hang on to power. I do not need it.

I have enough of it for 40 years as a congressman, mayor. It does not really seem different from what I’m doing now. Opisina lang o balay, opisina. Same, I study at night. But that’s about it. The sweldo, I cannot compare.

Sa pagod mo. Pagdating mo, lahat ng department diyan sila may folder. Defense, Foreign Affairs, galing kay Dabs. Basahin ko ‘yan gabi-gabi. Ako maglagay, “OK”, “Disapprove”.

But I have to read. How can I disapprove, approve without reading the… Anong oras ako matulog? Alas-tres, alas-kwatro, alas-singko, minsan alas-sais. Tapos magising ako ng alas-dose. Gisingin ako ng security kasi opisina na. Or that I have to fly somewhere else to… Never mind about human rights, alam man nila na hindi…

Saka hindi ‘yan sila ang… Tanungin mo sa bukid kung sino ang Presidente niyo? You ask the NPA, they will tell you, ‘Duterte’. ‘Yung pa-left-left diyan akala nila. Kasi ako lang rin ang pag-asa nila.

If I cannot work out a system after Oslo in Norway, if I cannot work on the federal set-up and make it work, then I would tell you, I am a failure; and I would concede my being a President. [applause]

Wala ka ng ibang makita. Wala akong… Wala akong minahan diyan sa… Saan ba maramng miningan? Huwag na kasi magtinginan na naman tayo.

Wala akong maski isang halwan diyan sa Liguasan Marsh. Wala. Lupa ko… What I really want is just my country, at peace, lahat mabubuhay, lahat ng… Mag-massive ng land reform bago ang federal system for the individual, Maguindanao or Maranao to have his land.

I am willing to… Iyong unang ibigay ng Japanese dinner… I just have to hurry up because there are cocktails going on. Ako ‘yung guest nila eh. Birthday ni Emperor. So I have to run there at the opposite side. ‘Yung aid nila ibigay unahin ko talagang… Ako mismo ang magpunta.

Doon sa Maute, ‘O limang kambing, huminto ka na’. Mamatay ka lang. Ilan? 50 lang kayo tapos maglaban kayo sa Armed Forces, kalokohan.

Eh pumunta ka na lang doon sa Middle East. Mamili ka anong eroplano Emirates? Sige, bigyan kita ng ticket. Sige, doon. Ano bang gawin mo dito? Distorbohin mo ang isang community? Then what after that? How about ‘yung namatay?

You are into believing something which is not really true. Kasi ‘yung kawsa nila hindi atin eh. Wala naman nag… I do not allow oppression in this country. And I will never do it.

Ngayon sinasabi nila na martial law. Martial law. Mag-martial law ako dito, ano? Patayin ko lahat ‘yang Maute pati ‘yang mga religious extremists? Then? Then? Bakit, ‘yon bang nasa utak niya maipasa niya sa anak niya? Hindi, kanya ‘yun eh. So what guy —- what this guy would remember is that tatay niya pinatay.

Martial law for what? Killing people? I would rather empower every mayor, ‘wag lang ninyong gamitin sa iba because there is—ito mga sundalo ‘to and they would never accede to any illegal order.

‘Yun pa is… Ang utusan mong mag-escort ng droga eh sabihin ko, ‘sir, utusan mo,’ ‘barilin mo’. ‘Ikaw mismo mag-baril ng amo mo.’ Bakit kung sabihin mong punta ka doon sa brigade then you are asking—tell your story, ‘why your community is not safe anymore?’ Then I will give you the blanket authority, ‘Go ahead. What is your order?’

Pero kung manggaling sa akin mag-martial law, kalokohan ‘yan. Nag martial law man tayo noon, anong nangyari? Gumaling ba ang buhay natin hanggang ngayon? Wala.

Kaya itong mga taga-Maynila, akala nila siguro, hinihintay nila ngayon na magagalit ako, t———ina, martial law dito, martial law doon. Barilan dito, barilan doon. Pag-alis ko, dumami ang patay lalo.

So you build a nation over the dead bones of the Moro and the Christians. Wala namang kasalanan—tatay ko pumunta dito, hindi man niya alam ‘yan istorya na ‘yan abugado ‘yon eh.

So I am appealing really is for you to—maski ‘yung mga leaders. Halikayo sandali. Ito ‘yung target natin. Ito ‘yung gusto natin. Ito ‘yun ang gusto rin ni Duterte, sundin lang natin’ yan.

Wala naman itong inutos na saktan mo ang kapwa tao mo o nakawan mo ‘yung ibang tao. Ito naman papunta para [technical glitch] perfect setting. Maybe I’ll just campaign for it, for its approval among the Visayan. Acceptable because of the…Hindi naman talaga ako pure Cebuano.

Then I will campaign for it. And after this passage, magkaroon ng election, I’ll be the first to—hindi ako tatakbo. Mamili na kayo ng Maranao—ewan ko si Dabs kung gusto mag-presidente. Bahala kayo diyan, ako mag-retire na ako kasi I have done my share of nation-building. Ito nalang inaalalayan ko.

Just then to avoid extremism because it is not our idea. Kung nanggaling dito ‘yan ang—the cause originated from here and it is original to us, I will be the first to call upon the Moro people to a total rebellion.

‘Wag tayong pumayag ng ganito.’ Sige. Whatever may, how long it may take, whatever are the costs kasi hindi ito talaga para sa akin.

Ako, I’m ready to open up again Jolo. I’ve convinced the BIR, Congress to open Jolo for the resumption of trade. [applause]

Ang experience ko diyan sa distribution ng farm ano is hindi ako magbigay ng mga carabao. Kasi ang carabao basta sa katagal ng tingin mo sa carabao, masarap man magkain ng carabao ngayon. [laughter]

Kaya diyan sa Marilog, pag sabihin, ‘sige lang bahugi lang ‘yan, sige pakainin mo kay malapit na ang pista.’ Bigyan ko lahat dito tractor. [applause] Kung may piyesta sa inyo, hala kitkita nang tractor di ha. [laughter]

Hindi lang ito sabihin ko sa inyo ha. Lahat ito, lalo na ang mga Kristiyano, kay mahilig man sa pista. May pista ni ano, may pista ni Santo Joseph, Santo Fernando, Santo Rodrigo. [laughter] P———. Hay naku.

So ang aking ano is ‘yung milk’s cow—kayong mga taga-Davao, I bought so many cattles, dinistribute ko. Carabao, ganun din. Ihawon ni. Iyon namang baka is… Many of the children ‘pag mag…

Kinuha ko ‘yung, binili ko ‘yung gatas so I had it distributed in the public schools. And any child would want to drink milk. The problem is, pag inom ng ano, nagtatae because of lactose intolerance. Hindi na sanay sa…

So the nearest to a mother’s milk, a human being’s milk is ‘yung goat. So ‘yun ang ano plus ‘yung my experience dito sa aking lugar diyan sa Carmen ‘yung may—diyan ako nagha-hunting. May maliit na bahay ako diyan sa Midsayap – Carmen ano na boundary. Ang sheep, ‘yung may mga wool na brown na imported, hindi talaga mamatay maski latiguhin mo ikalima mabuhi, pero ang kanding patay.

So you cannot buy those imported ones, they cannot survive the environment because wala sa kanilang DNA ang—the kit for survival eh, wala sa genetics nila. But ganun siguro ako, If I’m going to give you a tractor, I must see to it that I must give you a land first. [applause]

Puro ito sa —- wala dito. Kaya itong lahat nandito ang kailangan ng kambing. Bigyan ko kayo helicopter, ng eroplano,—’yon ‘yung sa maliliit. Tayo, whatever good that you’re doing that gives you money, go ahead.

So my… Mga kapatid ko, I pray that we can sort out the things, I want it done before the end of the year.

Sabi ko kay Bebot, ‘Bot, wag mo itong patagalin kasi ‘pag namatay ako dito, mahirap kausapin ‘yan, even the trust.’ Pag walang kumpyansa, they’ve been used to… Binobola kasi ng ODA, kung ano-ano, iba naman ang nangyayari so hindi yan basta-basta magpapadala.

The fact kung papayag ito, they will follow because that is for their own good and for the good of everybody. And that’s it.

It has nothing to do with the personal alliances, loyalty, I do not need it. But what you should understand from me, at believe me, na gusto ko talagang mangyari ‘yung dapat mangyari and that is semblance of your territory, your governance and the happiness of the Moro people. [applause]

Maraming salamat po. ●