One-on-One Interview of TV 5 with the President

President Rodrigo Duterte One-on-One Interview with Luchi Cruz-Valdes of TV5 at Malacañan Palace on 30 December 2016.

TV 5’S ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW

WITH PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

Malacañan Palace

29 December 2016

[recording starts]

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE: … Cabinet member during the first years of Mr. Marcos. Dito. Laking ano ako politiko but the only thing that separates me from the others which I got my father is ‘yung rage, may rage talaga ako. Not only the passion to serve.

LUCHI CRUZ-VALDES: So ganon din ang ama niyo?

DUTERTE: Oo. Galit ako sa pag api-api. I got it from my father, I said. If, it brings ‘yung oppression and ‘yung, sa Bisaya pagdaog-daog, pag api-api. It brings the worst of him, so with me.

So kaya itong nakita ko, what’s happening to my country, well I made something new of Davao. Kasi for a time I was student when my father died. But when I got to be in the service as a prosecutor, I really tried my best, to be the best where I would find myself.

When I was serving now, at ‘yung community na, I got this, not only the passion but I have the rage. Kaya makita mo, minsan galit talaga nagmumura ako. And it’s something which I cannot change anymore.

VALDES: Sir nakita na ng buong bansa ‘yan. I guess ang tanong nga nila is—At nasabi niyo na rin ho sa nakaraan na iiwasan niyo na ang pagmumura. Is that one thing that you think you will start doing less often?

DUTERTE: Well, jina-jamming ko lang talaga ang tao because I am I and you are you. So if you mind one corner and we can understand each other, I’d be grateful. But if not, it would be too late really to change identities now. It’s not only a character or maybe you’d say a flaw in the character, but it is really my—It could be a flawed character but it is my universal identity.

So too late about promising you about this, about that na hindi ako magalit kasi hindi ako nagyayabang. ‘Yung who are with me now and who are with me in the past, estudyante pa kami, ‘yung mga Cabinet members ko were just really, sa dormitoryo, sa mga eskwelahan, mga taga-Davao, kilala nila ako.

So wala kaming probema because kilala na nila ang pagkatao ko. Even ‘nong estudyante pa kami. I’ve always been adjudged. Maybe wala pa-drama-drama, corruption.

I made just about four fundamental promises. One is that there will be no corruption. And I will assure you, there will be no corruption. As a matter of fact, on the other sa kanina, I said pag may anak ako o asawa ko na na-involve sa corruption sa gobyerno, I will resign.

Huwag naman ‘yung haka-haka lang. Pero kung sabihin mo umabot ng Ombudsman, nademanda, I will resign from the presidency. That’s my guarantee to you. Because I could not convince other people of my desire to do away with corruption sa gobyerno if I do not do something that would really be.. Hindi ‘yung significant, but not even dramatic.

Basta, to put, just to put sense to ‘yung what you say to the public na ayaw ko ng corruption. Pag ayaw ko ng corruption, ayaw ko ng corruption. Sa awa ng Diyos, part of that really ‘yung paradigm ko sa buhay, mindset, is ‘yung, sabi ko na lahat lang tayo, and itong sa drugs and if I may add a little bit faster on the side. Ang ayaw ko dito sa drugs is because on the four million which I think and everybody almost sa gobyerno think that it’s a correct figure.

Eh by the hundreds of thousands, ‘yung nag-Presidente na, we had this previous figure of one three, three million rather ni General Santiago sa PDEA.

Dito sabi ko, I will not give you the exact figure but I would hit, or I would breach the million mark by the year’s end. Tama nga… sabi ng pulis, nearing million na tayo.

So alam mo, galit ako. ‘Yung rage ko. Is you make slaves out of my own countrymen. Gagawain mong alipin ang mga anak namin. So who gave you the right? By what right in this universe?

Kalimutan mo na ‘yung batas. What gave you the right to reduce my daughter or my son or my father or my mother, sister or father to make slaves out of them?

Gawin mong alipin mo eh. Pabalik-balik sa’yo ‘yan and because of the drug. And aside from ‘yan, gawain mong alipin ang kababayan ko. It results to a dysfunctional family.

‘Yung pangbayad sa, lang ang kikita ng mga dito sa pantalan. Instead of bringing the money or food out of the money on the table. Wala… Drugs.

Sira ang pamliya. Watak-watak. Ang mga bata hindi na makapag-aral. O ‘yung mga anak namin na pinaghirapan. Eh tayo dito lahat, walang mayaman sa atin.

Sabi ko, mayaman tayo dito, magkita-kita dito. Why would we just sit it out? Eh kayo alas-tres pa. Ako kanina pang alas-dos hanggang ngayon. So it’s a good how many hours now?

Because mahirap tayo and because we have work to do.

VALDES: Pero sir ito nga, we grant that EJK is not state-sponsored. Pero we also acknowledge and the PNP has acknowledged that there have been 3,000 deaths—

DUTERTE: Yeah, correct, and many more.

VALDES: that are murders ‘no, okay. So the question is this: Bakit pinupuri niyo ang PNP sa mga, sa nagawa na nila na pagsugpo pero–

DUTERTE: Not only PNP but also the military because I told them, the military, to be part of the police already.

VALDES: Yes, that’s right. Pero ba’t hindi niyo sila sinisita doon sa dami ng mga napapatay na extrajudicial?

DUTERTE: Look, that has to be proven. Wala naman kasing pumatay dito, sabihin ko salvage ko. But if I do the thinking, it could be, I said one of them. Kung ako ordinaryong tao lang, nagta-trabaho lang sa gobyerno, minimum wage tapos ang anak ko na-rape kasi uuwi pa ng kung saang barangay dito tapos mag-tricycle pa. Hilain mo lang, patayin mo. Patay talaga.

I mean, I do not give a—Personal ko ito. Yayariin talaga kita. So ito ang nangyari. Maraming namatay diyan, about a third, or two-thirds. Maybe, just maybe. Hindi ko iniimbestigahan. Hindi naman ako imbestigador. Bahala na ‘yung pulis pati NBI mag-imbestiga diyan.

I am not a part of the law enforcement but although I am the law enforcer. Ngayon, I will grant that ‘yung iba extrajudicial. I would be lying to my teeth if I don’t admit it. Nandiyan eh, ‘yung iba pinapatay.

But there never was a time that when even as mayor, and there are about, so many, about half a million soldiers and policemen here and in Davao. Wala ka talagang marinig na sinabi ko na patayin mo ‘yan si Mr. X, Y, and Z. ‘Yung talian mo at babalutin mo ng plastic at iwanan mo na. Kasi hindi namin trabaho ‘yan.

Kung patayin kita, bakit pa kita, pag-aksayahan mo ng panahon, balutin mo ng plastic, eh barilin mo eh. So why waste time?

Problem is, actually ma’am, I did not—Ang alam ng military pati… Ito mga graduate ‘to ng PMA, graduate ‘to ng PMA four years. Magtanong ka ng isa sa kanila. ‘Di mo ito mautusan na sabihin mo ‘you kill.’

Because right at this time, they are told, day 1 pa lang, not to obey illegal orders and for the life of me, I cannot order these guys to do an illegal thing.

But what I declared actually, because of the enormity of the problem, when I became President, I said I will not go after you in a punitive police action.

Rather, I will declare a war against the drug menace. At sinabi ko, do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not deprive us of our youth for tomorrow sa Pilipino, then I will kill you. But that is a, ano lang ‘yan, usapang—Sabi ko, galit talaga ako. Kung ako personal, kasi maski Presidente ako, nahuli ako, I was part of the team na isang tonelada na shabu. Sabihin ko na ang totoo sa inyo, buong bayan, baka dalhin kita sa likod ng bahay. Babarilin kita doon.

At sasabihin ko sa’yo, sige, mag demanda kayo. P—— ina ninyo. Ganun ako because tere is a rage in me na bakit mo ginagawa ‘yan? Bakit mo sinisiraan ang bayan ko?

VALDES: Sir, pero sir, ito ang tanong. Ano ang sasabihin niyo sa ina ng isang batang nabaril na inosente naman siya pero nabaril siya sa isang engkwentro?

DUTERTE: That’s a good question. I’m sure a lot of people —

VALDES: Ano ang sasabihin niyo sa ina?

DUTERTE: — need an explanation for the President. I’ll tell you. I declared war. There’s a shooting war here. They either use bullets. That’s why kita mo, yung iba, yung mga eh defense, yung mga lethal things that would kill a person.

In a habulan, in a cross fire, there is a possibility or a great possibility that innocent civilians or bystanders would be hit or unhit. So ang masabi ko sa kanila, I’m very sorry but kasali ‘yan, ang part of the territory of collateral damage.

Wala namang gustong pumatay. Wala naman akong sinabi sa kanilang fire indiscriminately. They are trained to target their guns, pistols at a person whose really a threat.

Ngayon ang utos ko, ganito. Go out. You guys, hunt for them. Arrest them if it’s possible. But if they resist with lethal weapons or a very serious object, whatever it is, a grenade or – and it places your life in jeopardy or in peril, by all means. You kill him.

Ngayon, yan ang order ko. At ang pulis, tinuturo sa kanila yan for four years pati ang military. There is no need for me to —’ah ito ha, kill them all pero ganito.’ There is no need for me to do that because alam nila ang ibig kong sabihn. Ngayon, itong mga civilian, itong salita ko, to illustrate nag alit talaga ako sa inyo, tumabi kayo yang isang tonelada. Que se joda ke may batas o wala, talagang kung ganun karami, I will just pull you aside and shoot you dead.

VALDES: I think people understand that. I think most of them have tried to follow you and your supporters of course, they understand that completely sir. Kaya lang, sabi na rin sa survey, while eight out of 10 Filipinos support your drug war, eight out of 10 Filipinos have also said, natatakot sila na baka sila o di kaya kakilala nila eh mapatay, maging collateral damage sa dami ng napapatay.

DUTERTE: Sabi ko sa police, do not use this powerful weapon. I am authorizing you to kill if your life is in danger. That’s a natural, it’s self-preservation. It does not even need the law. Now, sabi ko, do not use it for personal reasons kasi pag malaman kong ganun ka, just like in Davao, so many years, baka ikaw kasaloi ka sa statistic. Do not do it at my expense kasi ako ang masisira sa tao eh.

Avoid personal grudges using drugs and its use. Then itong iba naman, kung talagang nandiyan, sinabi kong huminto kayo. As a matter of fact, I am addressing myself to the nation and I am saying, you want the killings stopped immediately tomorrow? Bitawan niyo ‘yang droga ninyo. Itapon ninyo sa Pasig river. At bukas, wala nang patayan.

VALDES: Eh so sabihin po ng hindi nagdodroga na, teka muna eh baka pati kami maisama diyan, halimbawa ‘yung narco list ninyo sir, hindi kaya may posibilidad na may mga pangalan dun na hindi naman talaga involved sa drugs pero nandodoon. Paano naman yung mga ganun sir, napag dududahan, napag didisketahan, nasumbong —

DUTERTE: Can I have this paper?

VALDES: I know it’s a thick sheet pero sir —

DUTERTE: This is the drug industry, it’s a visual. Gaano kabigat? Well, I’m telling you. Ito na ang drug industry ng Pilipinas. Ang nandyan, pulis, yung mga X, wag mo na, kalimutan mo na ‘yan, ayan sila Loot —

VALDES: Sino sir? Can you just name one or two there? Kasi sir antagal na nating pinag uusapan yang narcolist pero walang lumalabas na pangalan.

DUTERTE: Loot, general. Lumabas yang una. I fired these guys when I —

VALDES: What, yung mga congressman na sinasabi ninyo sir na kasama sa narco list?

DUTERTE: Ganito ‘yan, ma’am eh. Is that your glass? Ok. Can I hold it?

VALDES: Sure sir.

DUTERTE: Illegal possession of a glass. Make it a crime. Illegal possession of baril pati drugs. I have to catch you actually in possession.

VALDES: Yes, under the law.

DUTERTE: Pag itinapon mo yan, hindi ko nakita na itinapon mo, makita ko na lang, I cannot insist na sa kanya yun because I have to catch you doing drugs, selling drugs, cooking drugs. Pag punta ko doon luto na, naindistribute mo na wala ako, maghabol na ako ng ebidensya. Yan ang problema diyan sa droga.

Sabi ninyo na, o small fish man mahirap, o di sige. Ratratin mo yung big time, yung mga bilyonaryo na and I’m telling you now. We are having a serious problem. I’ll give it to you subrosa. As far as you can imagine. This is — ayoko na lang — it’s worth billions, it’s still going on. And would you believe it?

Yung nasa presuhan, they’re still at it. So what’s the use? Bakit ko hulihin? Hulihin ko eh bawal ang death penalty. Ilagay ko sa Muntinlupa. Mas lalong naging, from millionaire to billionaire na. [unclear]

VALDES: Is that the reason why you’re pushing for death penalty at hindi pa kayo nakuntento sa death penalty na bitay, na lethal injection? Gusto niyo pa talaga ng bitay at gusto niyo pa ng —

DUTERTE: Alam mo ma;am sabi nila, ayan si Duterte parang g—— yan. Yung death penalty noon nandyan, wala namang nangyari. Sabi ng mga congressman, mga pari.

Bigyan mo ako niyan ngayon. Hindi ako president noon. Ibigay mo yan sa akin Presidente ako, tingnan mo, araw-araw tayo diyan sa Fort Bonifacio. Hindi ako magsayang ng — I’ll hang you.

VALDES: But isn’t it causing an environment of not just fear but violence sir? Just a spectre of people being hung by the dozens? I mean sir parang ‘yung—

DUTERTE: Why? Why do you think that we have reached this stage at this point in time of our civilization as Filipino nation? Sino bang naniniwala ng batas? Ipag-ano kita. Yung mga mayor na mismo, sabi na, ‘where’s the big fish, yung mga tigas?’ They’d struck around. Limang bodyguard na army, limang bodyguard na CAFGU, civilian killer. Sinong pulis g——ng magpasok diyan? Pag hinuli mo pa, pag mayor, ‘Mr. President, itransfer na ‘tong si Colonel,’ anak ng. Sinisira niyong pulitika, wala nang, tago tayo dito.

Hindi magawa sa akin yan. Why? I’ll go back. Kung batas lang ma’am. I’m sorry to say it bluntly, to put it bluntly, kungbatas lang, ‘Psst. Hoy, may batas tayo Republic Act, ganun ha. Ito si anong president ninyo, happy New Year pa.’ Baka mapatay kayo diyan. Sino ba ang maka admit? Sabihin ko, T—— inang, bantay kayo sa akin.

Pag ang batas lang — you know ito, itong listahan, I have to strike. You look, take a look at it, 6,000 policemen, barangay captains karamihan. Mayors, governors. Pag yan walang takot sayo yan, kaya mong, kaya mo ito? Kita mo, sino ditong nakapagtakbo-takbo ng —

Nung nag-Presidente ako sabi ko, tanggalin mo yung pulis. P——, yung mga sa preso, umuwi kayo, go back to your mother units. Army. Go back to where you’ve come.

Sabi ko sa mga mayor, I’ll give you 24 hours to surrender or I’ll kill yu. O di, naglabasan punta sila doon sa —

Sinong g—— mayor noon na pagtawag sa Malacañang, tawagin yung Aguinaldo, tawagin yung PNP. Hayaan mo yan, konti lang yan. So they were trivilializing the issue. It was not until — I thought — well, I said I am maybe guilty of miscalculation. Because ang Davao, magpunta kayo doon, magpunta kayo ngayon, gusto kong Gawain ang Pilipinas kagaya ng Davao.

Makalakad ka, Davao is hitting along ang growth — itong growth ng Davao, 9— the highest. Kita mo, Digos, kita mo ang Davao — in the air makita mo ang Davao ‘U’ eh may gitna, yung shrine, may bukid, Infant Jesus of Prague. Ibig sabihin naka ganun ang Davao. Endless ang makita mong development.

VALDES: And so you’re thinking — Iduplicate sa buong bansa?

DUTERTE: So yun ang gusto kong gawin. Ang problema, hindi ko alam ang tunay because wala akong access nito. Mayor lang ako. Nung piniga ko na, ito yung lumabas ngayon. Sinong maniwala ngayon na itong mga mayor na ito, itong mga hayop na ito, p—— tapos with bleeding heart — sabi ko nga sa inyo eh, there is a war going on and it will cost lives.

VALDES: Pero sir sa kapal nitong narcolist ninyo, sa dami ng mga pangalan na nandiyan, at yan eh yung mga sabihin na natin mga medyo nasa poder pa, sabihin na natin ano sir, hindi ba parang you are waging a you know, an imposible war and at the cost of so many lives?

DUTERTE: You’re also right

VALDES: Is this doable even?

DUTERTE: You’re so right. I have six years. Kung hindi ako matanggal pagka Presidente ko, hindi ako mamatay, to the last day of my term, until mawala ang pusher diyan sa Claro M. Recto, sa Avenida —

VALDES: Is that even possible?

DUTERTE: Yes it is. Six years. Pag yung, yang hindi makatalon on time, kasali —

VALDES: Pero sir anong risk naman nito? Baka dumating naman sap unto sir na talagang out of hand na, that even the police are just so desperate to just kill every pusher that they know at the cost of so many casualties, sir?

DUTERTE: Well, trust me because —

VALDES: When does it stop? When do we know that it’s not getting out of hand?

DUTERTE: You let me be as President, you must have trust in me. You just trust in me. When I say that it’s time to lift it, I will lift it. Wala naman akong problema, I have no personal stake here. I do not even know them. What I know very well is that without a machinery and a few [unclear] budget, I won the presidency.

Ang message ko ganito wala akong, apat. I will atop corruption. Ginagawa ko. I will wage war against drugs. Ginagawa ko. I will maintain order in the streets, lesser na ang, the crime. Nangyayari na.

I said I will bury Marcos because he was a soldier and he was a president, ginawa ko. Why are you – if you are a Filipino and you’re getting back at me because I am doing these things, sabi ko, nagmumura ako nun, leche. Sinisira mo ang bayan ko.

Sabi ko sa mga generals, resign before I become president because I will name you publicly.

VALDES: Well, sabi niyo rin sir na mapupuksa ang drug menace in three months and then you asked for an extension and you did say that you would resign if you didn’t do it in like three months.

DUTERTE: Yeah, I gave you the answer but I did not have the access to the information as being mayor.

VALDES: So sir do you think it’s still doable in six years?

DUTERTE: Basta nandiyan ka lang —

VALDES: In other words, inextend niyo na ba ang deadline sir? Minove niyo na?

DUTERTE: No. Inextend ko lang, ito lumabas, nalaman ko nung nag presidente ako, ganito pal aka lawak, it will last until the lst day of my term, six years ‘to. And I have five years and a few days.

VALDES: Okay, so that’s clear now, at least hindi na lang January ‘no kasi na-extend, so up to the end of — and you still think that in six years, you can actually bring it down to zero?

DUTERTE: I was not hambog. I did not have the wherewithals, I did not have the information nor to access the information. Nobody was — I’m sure that you were horrified on your own TV when you saw by the thousands of Filipinos surrendering — payat tapos — all the time, yun pala ang nakikita ng lahat, they were all addicts.

Actually it is, forget about the law. Ah totoo. Sa akin. Hindi, hindi, hindi, ganito yan. Forget about the law, forget about feelings, forget — I just want to preserve my nation, my country. Kaya wag kang magkamali because you know, yung sabi nila na martial law ako, that’s a lot of b—— s——.

I do not need to declare martial law. Rather, if I do, magkaroon na tuloy tayo ng problema and you would, if you want make dictators out of presidents. Why?

Ito ang Constitution. That the President can declare martial law. Call the Armed Forces and the police, lahat ng armed. Armed Forces pati security guard. Armed force yan eh. Okay. So is that good for 60 days then after that, I go to Congress.

And if they say, stop, hanggang diyan ka lang because we are not satisfied with your reasons, ‘kay? That’s one mechanism provided by the itong, because of the Marcos scare. So they practically castrated the President.

VALDES: What are you saying? You’re finding that that law is actually useless?

DUTERTE: Hindi. Ganito ma’am eh. Because if you add another sentence eh nakalagay naman doon, ‘any citizen of this country, be he, be from Greenhills, o taga-Payatas can go to the Supreme Court, file a petition for the Supreme Court to inquire into the factual basis, ang rason mo to declare martial law.

Now, kung ang Congress, which is normally your ally, political body ito eh, it’s a political animal ang Congress pati ang President eh because they are elected by the people. So magka – [unclear] duti naman ang Supreme Court.

I’m asking you now kung ang findings nila would contradict the findings of Congress because susuporta ng Pres — what happens now?

VALDES: Stalemate?

DUTERTE: Constitutional crisis. So kung ako ang Presidente, sabihin ko sa Supreme Court, pasensya ka na Supreme Court kasi ang Congres he does not agree with you. Eh di sabihin ko na ngayon sa Congress, ‘hoy, making kayo kunt anong anong sinabi ng Supreme Court ha.’ So talo tayo dito. You create a stalemate. A crisis. Who gets and who benefits from it? It’s the sitting President. Why?

VALDES: That’s right. Teka —

DUTERTE: — Because I am no longer bound by any Constitution.

VALDES: That’s right. Are you going to take advantage of this weakness in the law, then why are you even saying this?

DUTERTE: No, I just said there will never be a time that I will declare martial law. Sinasabi ko lang ang defect because yun, si Sen. Ping Lacson said that everything as bad in Mindanao, he said, ‘well the President may just consider,’ sabi niya, ‘may just consider declaring martial law for Mindanao only.’

That’s [unclear] talks about Duterte into power, ganun. I will answer all of you, yung lahat na, you ask me the questions, am I extremely, just because mag isa ka lang eh. Am I extremely, inordinately, excessively happy or proud to be President?

I will answer you: I do not need the position at this time in my life. But since I sought it and it was placed on my burden, I will solve the problems of my country the way I think I should be doing it. And yung sabi na to perpetrate myself in power, I am not into it. I have been in power for the last 40 years. Holding power.

I’ve been a prosecutor for nine, eight, nine years. Kung yung adulation lang, acclamation, the clapping of the hands, I’ve been elected mayor, vice mayor, mayor, mayor, mayor, mayor, mayor, mayor, mayor, until now, 40 years in a row. I never lost an election. I am not into this thing Malacañang for popularity. I know that it’s going to end six years. I am no longer qualified. As a matter of fact, I said, if you guys from Mindanao could just get your act together with the entire of the country, in two to three years’ time, I’ll give you my word: If you can craft a federal type of government and put it into operation, I will step down as President.

If you can do it in three years, so I am out of Malacañang in three years. I am out of this place even everyday, nandun ako sa matulog ibang bahay.

VALDES: Actually sir to your credit, claro naman din na ilang beses niyo na sinabi yan, na hindi kayo interesadong manatili sa inyong position beyond the six years and in fact, you’re ready to give up pag nagka federal – in fact, sir, sa lhat yata ng Presidente, kayo lang yata ang umaamin sa sakit ninyo at bagamat kapuri-ouri yun sir, yung transparency ninyo, marami ring nagtatanong sir, maraming mga katanungan na binubunga nito. Halimbawa na lang, number one sir, yung pag inom niyo ng Fentanyl. Sabi ng mga doctor, overdose na yung pag inom ninyo

DUTERTE: Correct.

VALDES: — at nakaka-adik na nga raw at kayo raw ang number one drug addict sabi ni Senator Leila de Lima.

DUTERTE: Dinagdag na lang niya yan. You know, I have this bad spiel and I can show you the scar. Natanggal ito, yan o. It has stitch here. ito . pati nagkaron na ako ng C4, C7. Nagkulubot konti. In a scale of 1 to 10, I used to suffer 6. Three, two months after, nagfe-Fentanyl ako. Into the six months, nag-ano ako, because I had to cut the goddamn thing into four. Isa lang.

Nagkamali ako minsan, nilagay ko lahat, ang ganda ng feeling. Para kang nasa — I have never been to paradise but I’ve been there and parang paradise so sabi ko, one time, hindi ko na napansin nalimutan ko yung marka. Tinanggal ko kasi pupunta ako ng doctor. Yung pain management ng St. Luke’s, sabi niya, ayaw ko lang — I do not want to mention the name of the — he might not agree with his name being – sabi niya, gumamit ka ng isa.

Sabi ko, hindi doc. Sabi niya, you know, if you lie to me, you better look for another doctor. Hindi mo ako kailangan sa buhay mo. So sabi niya, either huminto ka taking tapos mamaya. Biogesic o kung wala yung Biogesic, pain ano.

VALDES: So in short, isang beses niyo lang ininom yung Fentanyl ng buo?

DUTERTE: No, no, no, no. Fentanyl is the patch.

VALDES: Or isang beses niyo lang yun nilagay ng buo? Hindi naman ito every week as you originally said sir?

DUTERTE: Hindi, good for ano yan eh, good for three days yan ma’am eh. Kasi nga, gusto ko —

VALDES: Kinaklaro ko lang sir kasi maraming naistorbo doon eh parang sabi nila, ang bagabag – Fentanyl is worse than morphine, it is addictive, and the fact that you’re taking it daw weekly may have an effect on your—

DUTERTE: Maniwala ka diyan. Men judge best when they condemn. Sabi ng doctora ko, ganito na lang. iwe-wane kita slowly, I’ll give you norgesic o biogesic kung wala kang makuha but you have to stop it. What you should be doing is you get along with the pain, ride on it to make your threshold sa pain higher.

So ngayon if you ask me frankly now, in the pain scale it’s 2, 3, 2, 3 everytime, everyday paggising ko especially kung iba ang baluktot because gaganun nanaman, I have to move around.

VALDES: So for the record sir, are you healthy enough to last the 6 years?

DUTERTE: Sabi ng Diyos ma’am, sabi ng sa eroplano rin, magdasal kang g—— ka, wag masyadong ambisyon. Naniwala naman ang lahat. Ka-mayor mayor ko, pagtingin ko doon sa labas ng eroplano nagbulong ang Lord, ‘pssssttt, wag ka magmura diyan ha.’ Nung kinuwento ko kasi wala akong magawa, galing ako ng — the long haul.

You know, I hate really travelling, flying. ‘Di niyo ako kilala but yung mga taga-Davao ba kilala nila ako. Ayaw niyo maniwala sa akin. napaka g—— naman pala itong mga media pati yung, prominent and the, those who are not — napaka-g—— naman pala. Istorya mo lang yan maniwala kayo ng ganun? Susmaryosep naman.

VALDES: Well answer the question sir, please, are you healthy enough to last the 6 years?

DUTERTE: Di ba nga sabi ko, who can tell except God.

VALDES: Well, based on your health, based on your health condition now with your Buerger’s disease?

DUTERTE: I have Buerger’s disease because of smoke. Now for those who had acquired the ailment, stop smoking. I’m healthy, okay lang ako.

Then I have a Barrett. Sabi nila and you go to the mga–’yung GM—usually pag hindi ka mag hinto ng inom and you continue with smoking on irritant most of the Barrett cases at the end of the day is really cancer. That’s about it.

Cancer? Sabi ko doctor—I’ll give the name GI ko, GI sabi niya, sabi niya mga—cancer? Three to six years ganoon—tapos natapos. Doctor Sollano ng Cardinal Santos, St. Luke’s. Ibigay ko na yung pangalan kasi kaibigan ko taga-Davao eh.

Sabi ko sa kanya, –sabi niya ‘bata may ano ka’ —sabi ko, kaya every year, every year tayo ha, sabi ko ‘dok ilan pa ang naiwan?’ Sabi niya—mga 7 years pwede na huwag ka lang mag-inom. Eh talagang nag-iinom ako, on the Christmas day I consume about a fourth of, brandy ako eh. Sabi ko naman bakit ako hindi iinom, at bakit ako—why should I be extra ordinarily worried about making the—

VALDES: because you’re the President.

DUTERTE: No, because but the…

VALDES: But you should be worried for the country, that you love, you say.

DUTERTE: Yeah, but that is—you know it’s a superficial thinking na ‘yun –because you have to deal with destiny and that’s a permanent one. So why should I be worried? Nandiyan si Leni—so you only have to say, ‘Leni namatay na ‘yung g—— eh di ikaw naman.’

VALDES: Sir I’m glad you brought up VP Leni, may I ask you about the real score between you and VP Leni?

DUTERTE: Ganito ‘yan, there was — she was elected Vice President and so was I, President. Early on bakit wala namang, parang a decorative—wala namang trabaho, ganoon. So usually mga vice president because they come from the same party with the President, may trabaho talaga ‘yan.

Ngayon ako, nagmagadang loob naman, and also because I think it was really a valid criticism, na why dont you just get this girl into the, no not into the wagon. And right with the—edi tinawagan ko sabi ma’am, so I saw the rationale and it was a good one.

But you might as well, you know, utilized the expertise. She’s a lawyer but the—oblique kasi nakita ko siya sa TV nagde-demonstrate ng left, ‘yung left, huwag kang maniwala diyan Duterte talaga ‘yan. They might be mad at me, mga drama lang ‘yan namin. Drama-drama lang, sabi niya hindi drama. Because every corner gusto talaga nila mag—manalo, hindi sila nananalo sa giyera eh. Eh di sa argument na lang. So but—left talaga.

Both—maski ‘yung kampo ng NPA, because politician ako. You know, anak lang rin ako ng mahirap so ‘yung style of politics ko, was — it fits to a tee what this generation needs. Because I can fathom ika nga that’s the word.

Few of us only can fathom the deepest sentiments of—kaya ako talaga hindi mo ako matakot sa masa. Strikto nga ang mukha ko hindi ako tumatawa, pero alam mo ‘yang mahihirap—dumaan din ako eh, isang tingin lang magsabi ‘yan atin ito. Hindi ka na kailangan magdrama pa because only those who really have been there can fathom sa Visaya amin, I use the word, madukot ko, makab-ot takot ang, ang sentiment nito. So that explains the reason for my survival rate sa politics. I never lost an election—

VALDES: Your ratings are very high sir —

DUTERTE: Yeah.

VALDES: But VP Leni, going back to VP Leni..

DUTERTE: Teka, tapusin ko muna ito, okay.

VALDES: O sige sir

DUTERTE: It is because ganito ‘yan eh. We did the most—kaya konektado ‘yan sa demonstration. Kasi nandoon kasi ang mga yellow lang ‘yan, ang yelo sa Visaya niyan ice. Dito sa Tagalog niyan sa Luzon na yang yelo matagal ng natunaw ‘yan.

‘Yan sila yan, ‘oust Duterte, resign’—anak ng, edi magko-combine sila ng reds, huwag kang maniwala sa –hindi papayag ‘yan na magwala ako. Alam mo bakit? Alam mo bakit? Ewan ko about them, I’m not prejudging them. You go back to the hands of the elitists.

VALDES: What do you mean? VP Leni—?

DUTERTE: I am not passing prejudgment at this early. Pero kung — I’m talking about my vis-a-vis sa.. mawalaan sila ng tao kasi isa ako sa dumaan din talaga ng (inaudible).

VALDES: So..

DUTERTE: Kaya kaya kong abutin so.. kaya ako nananalo hindi lang sa Davao pero all of the elections.. I not only win but it is always a landslide. Hindi ako natalo ng election and even the presidency naglandslide ako. Hindi nila ako kilala. Sino lang ang nakakilala sa taga-Luzon? What was the message and why? Because kaya kong abutin.

‘Pag nagsalita na ako sa publiko. Then let’s go back to Leni. Yun, nilagay ko siya. Sabi ko, ma’am, can you join us? Sabi ko bigyan ko yung posisyon na busy talaga and a productive position.

Ang problema ko kay Leni, makikita ko pa siya sa ‘down with Duterte.. oust Duterte.’ Then kapag two weeks after mag-Cabinet meeting kami magkaharap.. magkaharap kami kasi Vice President siya eh. So don’t you think this is a little bit of incongruity here? What do you think? Ikaw?

VALDES: If that’s what you say happened, although nung tanungin namin siya Sir, nabigla daw siya kasi nag-uusap pa daw kayo nung Thursday at maayos naman daw. Kaya nagulat siya kinabukasan ay hindi na siya pinag-aattend..

DUTERTE: Well, nung makita ko siya doon sa gate, hindi ko naman siya pwede tanungin.. ito Leni wag kang magalit, istorya lang ito. Istorya lang. ‘Uy, (inaudible) bakit ka nandyan.. bakit mo ako gusto paalisin? Magkasama tayo sa opisina. Magkaharap nga tayo.’ So, first to hit ako kasi.. pero kung sabi mo takot ako diyan, yung oust. I do not need it.

Wag mo akong takutin ng ano, coup d’etat, coup d’etat. Wag na lang tayo magpatayan.. puro sundalo ka.. puro sundalo itong anditong gwardya ko eh. Yung andito .. yan tindig kayo jan.. I assure you, I now a member of a.. the new coup d’etat, junta, o, we will run this country as best as we can.

Hindi naman isang Duterte lang ang kaya.. okay.. if you think that you cannot run the country, solve the problem.. fine.. we don’t have to kill each other. It is not because I’m afraid to die or to shoot anybody but simply because bakit pa natin pagtalunan ‘to. Why spill blood? I said at least I’m through with this.. palakpakan.. adulation.. Du-ter-te, Du-ter-te.

It is a thing, It is just.. I see it in front of a passing. Wala na ako. Sabi it is a positive thing, negative. I really don’t care. Basta ang akin sabihin ko sa mga negosyante because that was my experience in Davao City. Sabi ko I’ll make the city peaceful. Sabi ko sa mga tao they will come believe me.. Why? because they saw my father. He was also the governor. Sabi ko in my province na pinalaki niya.

He nurtured a place for the years that he was governor into a prosperous.. nagsabay ang plantation pati yung industrialization. Yung mga plantation pati industrial, farm and everything.. kaya nag-boom yung Davao. So sabi ko they will come and true enough they came and made the city prosper.

VALDES: Sir, si Bongbong Marcos, sir.. anong..

DUTERTE: Wala kaming political alliance.

VALDES: Anong plano niyo sa kanya, are you—

DUTERTE: Wala ma’am–

VALDES: ..will you appoint him into a position, you know after his one year ban is over?

DUTERTE: Even before the elections, even the years past, if you move back even about ten steps.. wala ka man nakita na may alliance kami.

VALDES: So you don’t owe him..

DUTERTE: But, you know, I’m a lawyer.. ‘pagka sinabi ng batas.. yan ang sabi ng mga professor namin.. g—— ka do not create an incongruity or an ambivalence diyan kung he is a soldier or he is a president because that is the law.

So Marcos was a soldier and Marcos was a president and we are not supposed to read beyond the lines of what it connotates to be the word in the dictionary.

I never had an allies with.. civil lang kami noon because at the time when Marcos ran for president, my father was one of the two remaining Nacionalista. Ganon ang Pilipinas eh. Pagka may bagong presidente takbuhan yan doon. Pag may bago, takbuhan na naman dito.

But my father and Governor Ebarle remained true to their Nacionalista. Di talaga siya nag ganon even.. yung he was embarrassed.. ayoko na lang (inaudible) but he was so.. the first time that he was supposed to be out of the country.. yung IRA .. yung rice…

VALDES: IRRI.. yes.. ito yun sir..

DUTERTE: — Alam mo, last minute sa airport hindi siya binigyan ng permit to (inaudible) because of his being a Nacionalista. And he said to my father, ‘fine. I can live with it’ so when he was sworn in, he took my father in as a Cabinet member. Dito.

So my father and I was there in front. Sumasali kami sa rally. You know, my father went out of the gate, called for me to, ‘Lumapit ka. Tingnan mo yung sundalo.’ Sabi ng tatay ko, pag hindi ka maghinto. I will resign today. After I go out of this place — Malacañan. Alis na ako.

VALDES: So tumigil na kayo sir?

DUTERTE: Natural. Saan ako makahanap ng tuition ko?

VALDES: Para sa tatay niyo? Sir napag-uusapan na rin lang ang pulitika maraming gustong malaman kung sino yung mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ninyo. Naririnig lang daw po ang mga pangalan nila pero hindi naman po nila kilalang gaano. You know, the people that you trust to take care of the government when you’re not here. For example, number one, si Mr. Bong Go. Ano ho ang relasyon ninyo at talagang nilalagakan niyo po siya ng tiwala na talaga namang ah…

DUTERTE: Ano, ito, itong si Bong Go he had a Chinese father just like me, yung grandfather and the father. Si Bong Go Batangeño ‘to, Tesoro. Mga barkada ko actually ang lolo nito. Ang kalaro niya sa basketball yung aid ko na military talaga. Ah, naging aid ni Gil Hermoso, yung payat na ano… sa Philippine Constabulary.

Naglaro sila ng basketball siya yung nagtapon ng bola kay Jimboy, pagsalo, ayun, bumagsak namatay. So what I’m quite close with the family because ang tatay niya, ang kabarkada ko. Did he offer the service? Sabi ako na lang muna in the meantime that you’re looking for one. So I found him to be, ano, but I do not. Bong Go is not just somebody that you leave the.. kasi to be somebody it is the Executive Secretary or I prefer leaving, kung aalis lang man ako, magsabi ako doon sa military pati doon pulis, kayo na ang bahala sa bayan natin. It’s up to your hands what you make out of this country. Magkaano ang Cabinet member? Bong is not a Cabinet member. He is a special assistant because stop yung immediate.

VALDES: But the perception is he wields so much power…

DUTERTE: Yes of course because ikaw yung conduit eh. So you carry, you’re the messenger. Sometimes, the messenger is killed. Di ba? You can’t kill the messenger but—

VALDES: What about sila Secretary Medialdea Sir? What’s the basis of the very close relationship?

DUTERTE: Well, he’s from San Beda. He’s from Davao and he’s the son of Justice Medialdea. His father was the provincial fiscal of Davao when my father was Governor of Davao, province isa lang. And Tugade is valedictorian, Yasay is bright. He’s an international…

VALDES: Secretary Evasco sir?

DUTERTE: Bright yan…yan ang pari…

VALDES: Sabi nila leftist daw kasi so may…

DUTERTE: Nahuli yan. Ako ang nag-imbestiga niyan. He was a priest, silang dalawa ni Fr. Tison. Nag-plane yan sila sa Cotabato. Natsambahan sila ng ranger, kaya and I was a prosecutor, I investigated him. As a matter of fact I was prosecuting them in court.

Sabi ko, sport lang tayo. But when they were released not by me but by Cory, sabi niya release all political prisoners, nagkagulo. So nagpuntahan yan sila yung asawa ni de Vera. Founding member ng Communist Party. Quintanar, yung biyuda. Si Beth nung, nagpuntahan sa akin sabi nung bigyan mo kami ng trabaho. Pati si Evasco. So technical assistant yan sila diyan. Eh Office of the Vice Mayor lang ako, OIC kami.

Then I became Mayor. And talagang, pari eh, sanay dyan sa organizing, sa parokya, mga Catholic League. Marunong mag ano ng.. expert dyan sila.. pati bright. So eventually, he became my Chief of Staff. I want naman si.. because of corruption, I placed him sa.. he was city engineer for about 3 years.

Then Hhe went back to his hometown sa Bohol and he ran for election. He completed the 9 years, three-term. So I got him. Siya man ang maaasahan ko but — he’s a political figure. But by now, mga bright dyan sila lahat dyan. Puro mga valedictorian: Pernia, si Briones, mga valedictorian ng UP iyan. Ako lang ang 75 dyan sa totoo lang. Honestly.. pero yan silang mga valedictorian diyan, mga trabahante ko lang yan sila.

VALDES: Sir, totoo bang magkakaroon ng balasahan pagdating ng Bagong Taon? Is there any Cabinet member that you’re thinking of..

DUTERTE: No, no, no, no

VALDES: — So hindi ho totoo iyong mga tsismis na baka matanggal daw ang ibang mga Secretaries?

DUTERTE: Sus, huwag kang maniniwala diyan ma’am. Fertile ground for, you know, speculation and everything.

VALDES: So you don’t, you’re not going to adjust your Cabinet in any way in the coming year?

DUTERTE: I’m quite comfortable with the Cabinet. I’m comfortable with the leadership of the military. I trust Bato. He was, once upon a time, a city police director, chief of police, if you may. So you see, wala akong problema. Papunta na ako, I was planning my trip back home, it’s New Year, in a few hours, tapos ‘yong ito.. pag ito pumutok, ang Leyte, drug related. Sabi ko, anong cause? Drug related.

Because ang mga Moro naglabasan ng Mindanao but there’s a story behind it which I’m not prepared to discuss with you. This is a potential problem. It’s not just about drugs. It’s about terrorism and drugs. Terrorism being fueled with drugs to finance the.. huwag muna ngayon.. huwag muna ngayon kasi baka mag ano —

VALDES: Pero alam niyo, sir, yung mga ganyang statements niyo sir, yan ang mga nagbibigay pangamba ‘no, lalo na ginagamit yung, sabihin nating—

DUTERTE: Ganito na lang —

VALDES: — na baka raw you’re laying the predicate for the declaration of martial law?

DUTERTE: Hindi nga eh, hindi ako sanay diyan. I am smarter than the martial law. Maniwala kayo, hindi ko kailngan niyang ano.

VALDES: Pero sir, nasa state of lawlessness pa rin ba tayo diba? Parang yung mga declarations niyong ganyan —

DUTERTE: Well, I’ll point to this package here. For as long as this exists, there will always be lawlessness in the country. And you might just also consider to the last day of my term, I said.

I’ll repeat my statement everywhere: Until the last drug pusher is out of the streets, until thedrug lords are killed, matyambahan ko sila.

VALDES: So sir are you still going to continue with the plan for example, to suspend the writ of habeas corpus?

DUTERTE: No, no, no, no. Hindi ko na kailangan eh. Those things are, pag marunong ka, hindi ka na kailangan. Only you have the — when I say ‘state of lawlessness,’ so I called the military normally does not perform police duties. So when I declared the state of lawlessness, sabi ko, ‘adre, you have to pitch in. You have to pinch hit everything here because ilan lang ang pulis, 130? What will I do with 130? Kalaki nitong, and they are cooking shabu all over.

Sabi ko, I direct commission to the military to do police work. So that’s an order to them and commission yan eh. If you are commissioned by the President to do something, sabay na ang your duty as an army man. Simple lang. Looks simple, sila lang ang nagpa-ano eh. Now, your mind is cleared.

Fear? You must fear me because for as long as you make slaves out of my countrymen, something will happen to you but that is my commitment, not somebody else’s. Sabihin mong,’ ah sabi ng ganun, sabi sa pulis, patayin lang yun nakatali, state-sponsored killings.’

VALDES: Sir, you seem to be very, of course everybody knows you by now as being bullheaded and very single minded at talagang hindi kayo magpapatinag —

DUTERTE: Ordinaryo lang kasi ako ma’am —

VALDES: Meron bang taong makakapagpabago ng isip niyo? Has anybody ever succeeded in changing your mind about something that you profoundly believe in?

DUTERTE: Si Luchi naman o. Baka ikaw. Alam mo ganito yan eh, it’s not about character. How old is your father? Is your father still around?

VALDES: Yes, 90. My father’s 90.

DUTERTE: Does he take medications?

VALDES: No, actually he’s very healthy.

DUTERTE: Hal aka. Well, he must be an exception so I can expect to see you around also because — well anyway, pupunta ako ng ano bukas.

Yang Maute sa Lanao, short explanation. Maute is not just about rebellion. Hindi ako worried sa rebellion eh because what you see in Mindanao is the rising of a Moro nationalism. Because wala pa yung mga Kristiyanos, when Magellan landed in Leyte bringing with him Christianity, Islam was already planted way ahead, maybe about 80 years. Sabi nila 100. I don’t — 80 or 70 years, sabi nila yung archives from Malaysia, binasa ko yan nung una-una. So it could not be.

But, iyan nandiyan na yan. Nung pagdating ni Magellan, we were part of the Sri-Vishayas Empire, especially Mindanao kasi pumasok na yung relihiyon. Visayas wala pa. But there were missionaries. And say that Lapu-Lapu and the rest of the guys were really Muslims.

Well, granting even, hindi pa masyado nahawakan. But when the Spaniards came, they controlled everything — Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon, but they were not really successful in subduing Mindanao and their inhabitants, actual inhabitant, kasi may poste sila. Alam mo ano? Islam.

Pagdating ng Amerikano, so many massacres thereafter. Lumaban talaga. Bakit? May poste sila, Islam. Ngayon, ang tingin nila, tayo, we are the extensions of the imperialists, Magellan and the Americans. Kaya akala ng Amerikano, sa galit ko, I went to Jolo, I have my Moro roots ako eh. Yung nanay ko, hindi ang tatay ko.

Sabi nila, why are they there? Why are you using the Americans to steal or kill us still so we don’t need them. You drive them out. Kaya sabi ko maybe, ang unang statement ko, they took it out of the proportion. Maybe one of these days, I will ask the Americans to leave Mindanao. Yung Visiting Forces kasi nakikita nila eh.

Yung mga taga-Mamasapano, alam nila na may mga Amerikano doon so why are they there if you want peace? Akala ko ba magka— Yan ang argument nila. I have no problem with the rebels. But I have a problem with the Maute or yung ideology or ideology-driven. Ito yung nag-pledge ng allegiance sa ISIS. Now they are competing with the rest of the guys there from Indonesia because if you are now the ordained, ISIS will declare that you are the official chapter of ISIS here —- Look at Baghdad and the rest of the places there. Now, tapusin ko lang ito.

VALDES: Sir, how does that answer my question, has anybody changed your mind?

DUTERTE: Ah. Ma’am, — I was asking kanina about your father, can you change your father even a little bit? Ah okay. I am 72. You think anybody? Maybe my mother, the strongest influence sa buhay ko, nanay ko, not my father, not anybody else. Yun binubugbog talaga ako ng—

VALDES: So wala na talaga sir? Talagang that’s how…

DUTERTE: Because, right now, I’ll bring you higher, higher. I have acquired this. Nadala ko na ito maski saan ako magpunta, either buhay o patay. I will bring this identity of mine towards the universe wherever it ends up when you die. It is already my identity, my universal identity. It is not a matter of the flow of the mouth or flow of character.

VALDES: So kahit kailan sir, walang nakapagpabago ng desisyon ninyo in your life even in the persons—?

DUTERTE: My children. Yung medyo outlook na ganoon. You do not want to be careless noon. Tsaka yung saving money. Kuripot ako noon because I was living a dangerous life. I was one of the prosecutors sa Davao City. But I was also one of the tanod bayan. Yung predecessor ng Ombudsman. I was appointed one of the only two tanod bayan prosecutors and we were going around Mindanao prosecuting almost karamihan, malversation cases.

VALDES: And so?

DUTERTE: Corruption.

VALDES: That’s how–?

DUTERTE: That’s why I said yung change nung minsan yung makapagbago na huwag muna ito. Instead of buying car you just deposit the money. Just in case, pag nawala ka, ang mga bata at least makatapos naman. Now ngayon, matapos na nanununtok na nga ng sheriff. Abogada na, iba na naman ang— Pero in fairness to Inday, magtanong ka ng taga-Davao.

VALDES: Sir bati na ba kayo? Sabi nila nagtatampuhan daw kayo. May tampong patatas daw sa isa’t isa?

DUTERTE: Inday? Look. Ganito iyan. I will be upfront to the nation. Pag naghiwalay ka sa nanay, tapos merong kang — annulled kami. Pero sa mga anak kasi it does not make any sense. Divorce. Pareho ni Reagan. Marami namang Presidente na may asawa. Reagan was divorced. So it’s just a matter of a piece of paper. Actually dalawa yung asawa niya. So with me. But itong, I hate to say this because my mind does not want it but I have to be very honest with you. Na-annulled kami. So alang-alang. Wala man akong makitang iba. So may kapatid ka ba diyan na medyo bata pa? Cause I also. Noon so may bago ako. May anak ako. Hindi talaga mawala iyang ano. Ay naku kung sa iyo nangyari iyan, you’d hate your father. Mas ang babae mas galit.

VALDES: So you understand where she’s coming from kumbaga?

DUTERTE: So nakuha na ninyo ngayon. So dito sabi ni criticize na dalawa ang pamilya ko. Hoy taran——. Yung mga Amerikano mag-divorce, ka-lima. Eh di yun lang ang pamilya nila?

VALDES: Actually sir ang tanong ng marami sino daw ba talaga ang First Lady niyo?

DUTERTE: Silang dalawa. But first sila. But ngayon kung tanong mo ako alang-alang. Ang asawa ko sabi niya it is just a piece of paper yung annullment. So I have two wives. Pero I am not living with them because I’m annulled. And bata ipaputol pa yung ulo ko pagtulog ko sa gabi.

Pero you know, you guys I never pretended. Yun ang ayaw ko sa lahat yung pretentious pati yung hypocrisy. I hate hypocrisy that’s why galit ako sa Amerikano. They have to set so [value?]. I’ll just give you an example.

They have mentioned this before. They took out Panama. Invaded the country because it was flooding the United States with drugs. And they said that the biggest now drug lord there was De Lima. Ah not De Lima — Noriega. Well I am sorry. Noriega. Presidente iyan. He was shanghaied. From Panama brought to sun trial in the States. He is serving (unclear). You invade the country, broke its sovereignty because of the issue of drugs.

Now you come to me to chastise me in public. ‘You know si Duterte.’ Here comes Trump. So I called him dito sa Malacañang. ‘Mr. President.’

‘Yes Mr. President. Mr. Duterte… I have been to the United States so many times Mr. President when I was a congressman.’

‘Oh but if you happen to be in the vicinity of Washington DC some day or you’re in New York let me know. We’ll have a cup of coffee or maybe you can come here. I will invite you.’ ‘Fine, Mr. President. I will.’

‘So I heard that we have the same mouth? Yeah you do it right. (Garbled).’ ‘Yes, Mr. President, you are correct.’

‘Yeah. No, no don’t worry I believe you.’

So anyway you keep that. Ano bang klase ng value ng Amerikanong ito? If you’re speaking for the country, so what is the set values? Yung ano.

Kasi ito, you condemn him because it was an intellectual na hindi dapat naging presidente si Obama. So he could have been just a corporate or — He was treading into something. Alam mo kasi yung reality ng mga bright. You read so many theories about — Bertrand Russell. Magkagulo iyan and you come up with something that’s really abominal. Okay nawala na iyan sa dila ko. Kita ko?

VALDES: Eh but Donald Trump.

DUTERTE: you’re doing it right.

VALDES: So sa tingin ninyo magkakasundo kayo ni Trump?

DUTERTE: Magkakasundo talaga kami. Kasi galit siya, galit rin ako. Parehong galit namin droga.

VALDES: Sa palagay ninyo tatantanan kayo ng Amerika under President-elect Donald Trump?

DUTERTE: Hindi yan sila makialam. Because I am sure they will be up to something like what’s our time? Maybe twice over.

VALDES: What if mali kayo sir? What if mali kayo at biglang tinitira rin pala niya ang war on drugs ninyo? Anong magiging reaction ninyo doon?

DUTERTE: Sabi ng kumpare ko sa China okay lang daw. Sa Summit ngam eh di binigyan ko, sabi nila eh di — Hindi ko sabihin kung sino. Dalawang sovereign heads of state. Yung isa sabi niya, nakaupo —

Sabi niya. Yung isa sabi niya, “Alam mo for the information of yung mga countries Cambodia, Laos, pro-China yan. They were part of the old civilization of China.” Di matanggal iyan. So you have this book about. Nabasa mo na ba iyan? The 100 Years War. The Competition of China for Supremacy. Then you have the Easternization. You have read that. It is a good book. You read it. And you get the entire geopolitic picture of the entire world.

Ako hindi tayo pinansin ng China. Why? Nakadikit tayo sa Amerikano. So hindi tayo pinapansin. Noong sabihin ko na punta ako ng China huwag ninyong pansinin yang Amerika. Magkaibigan tayo. Ayokong makipag-away sa iyo. Wala akong kakayahan. It will result in a massacre actually. So I have two choices: fight China alone and die for sure or—-

Sabi ko sa China, there will be a time that we’ll talk about the arbitral judgment during my time. Hindi ko. I will not let it pass na wala naman. Magtatanong sila. Ayaw kong sabihin. And what would be that factor that could?

VALDES: Yes. That would make you talk about the arbitral tribunal decision with China?

DUTERTE: Yes. If they extract riches of this (Unclear). Eh kung nandiyan na yung oil, nandiyan na lahat minerals. Uranium. ‘Pare, owner tayo tayo diyan di ba? Sabi mo iyo iyan. Akin man din iyan. Huwag mong solohin. Ay sir magulo lang ito. Share-share na lang.’

VALDES: Parang u-turn po iyan doon sa sinabi ninyo noong kampanya na kung kinakailangan ninyong magjetski at magtanim ng bandila ng Pilipinas—-

DUTERTE: Istorya naman iyan. Huwag naman kayong maniwala ng istorya. Sino bang?

VALDES: So hindi na iyon ang inyong paninindigan diyan?

DUTERTE: Saan naman ako maghanap ng jetski na mag-abot doon sa yawang umiikot yung ano diyan lagoon?

VALDES: Sir, kasi ang dami ninyo ngang pahayag na pabago-bago. Kaya rin maraming nalilito pati Cabinet members ninyo. Hindi alam kung paano ipaliwanag ang sinasabi ninyo. One day you say something provocative, the next day nagkukumahog silang —

DUTERTE: Ma’am naalala kita eh. Sabi mo are you running? You asked for me to appear diyan sa Reaksyon. Sabi ko, I am not. Sabi mo what can change your mind? I don’t know. Yung somebody na magpaiba ng isip mo. What did I answer you? Sabihin ko Diyos. Eh sabi mo sagot ka hirit ka, eh paano kung nandiyan yung Diyos nagmaterialize ngayon? O di sabihin ko sa Diyos yung pera mo? Tatakbo ba kaya ito? Eleksyon ito. Hindi ito—-

VALDES: Yes sir I remember that.

DUTERTE: This is not what midnight mass or an ordinary mass. Eleksyon ito. Kaya if God could change my mind, I’ll ask for it. Ang ibig kong sabihin na, my countrymen, Happy New Year. We are running out of time.

But sabi ko I don’t need it during at my age. May plano na akong magbili yung sabi ko ito magpakuha ka ng lechon na maliit. Ganoon. All set na nga for lunch. Kasi sa gabi may punta ako sa mga anak ko, sa first. Eh kagabi sabi, ‘Sir may pumutok na naman.’ So I have to make a u-turn. So then I have to call the woman there waiting. Now kumain ka na lang muna kasi dadaan pa ako ng Leyte.

There are many casualty. Hindi patay but I have to —hindi naman — o, okay na yung nasugat mo. Anti-tetanus lang iyan. Ayan, anti-biotic lang. So you have to share the grief. So I won’t be around until Davao maybe 1 or 2 o clock in the afternoon. So napurnada na yung plano ng ano. Because sa gabi sana magpunta nga ako.

VALDES: So you are saying sir, it does not change your mind?

DUTERTE: At this time of my life, huwag ninyo akong patulak-tulak. Baka talaga. Do not ask for it because you might get it. I am not power hungry. Ayoko ng tripping diyan. I have been in power for almost 40 years. Never lost an election. Mabuti pa sa Davao marinig ko pa yung clapping. Dito, yung barge ko na maingay pag nasalubong niya itong waterlily hindi na umiikot. Mabigat man. You know that is an old one.

I am not even happy. What I get here is not really an applause. What I get is just a salute. ‘Alright.’ Ano ba iyang nagsisigaw na iyan?

No, no meron tignan mo magsama ka. Punta ka doon sa bahay ngayon. Tapos magbalik ka lang. Pag nagsalute di dalawa diyan sa hagdanan. Tapos may isa na naman doon sa tiga-alalay siguro baka mahulog ka. Or baka yun ang tutulak sa iyo. Tapos pag sakay mo diyan (shouts). For the life of me, nagtanong ako.

VALDES: But you are not looking for applause? That’s what you say. And you don’t look like the type who waits for it anyway.

Thank you so much Mr. President. I know your close-in security is right beside us now trying to prod me to stop. But thank you.

DUTERTE: Baka mapatid yang watch mo bigyan mo ako. Kasi gusto ko dalawa rin. Isa lang ang mukha nito o.

VALDES: Sir sa inyo na. I will willingly give it to you, sir.

DUTERTE: Huwag baka ma-issue na naman tayo niyan.

VALDES: Oo nga sir. Huwag giving you gifts, bribery. Thank you, sir.

DUTERTE: Si Luchi tinignan lang yung watch niya, ibigay kaagad. Iba siya ‘no?

VALDES: Thank you sir. Thank you and Happy New Year to you. I really appreciate it. Salamat, thank you, thank you.

DUTERTE: Salamat. Thank you for the time. I still have one. ●