Press Conference in Lima, Peru

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte summed up his debut in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) during a press conference at the Melia Lima Hotel following the culmination of this year’s 24th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in Lima, Peru.

The following is the transcript of the interview of the President.

MEDIA INTERVIEW OF RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

Melia Hotel, Lima, Peru

20 November 2016

Kindly sit down.

I’d like just to give one statement that the APEC here in Peru was productive and informative for all of us.

For example, like me who is a first-timer in this kind of international convention. Many things to be learned and from there, many things to do. So, hindi ko man masabi lahat but as we go along in my governance maybe I’d expound on it more often in my talks back home.

Kayo na lang ang mauna ang question ninyo. I am sure that you have a lot of questions.

Questions and Answers

LYNDA JUMILLA (ABS-CBN): : Good afternoon, Mr. President. Well, actually my question is going to be an assessment—your assessment of your participation in the APEC Leaders’ Meeting?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, I said I could just say it in a few words. It was a productive one, very informative for me being a first-timer in this kind of meeting.

And, of course, the things that you have to do as a follow up of this convention. More or less I said, you have the information and the things that you have to do to improve on everything: climate change, mitigation and all, resilient crops, sharing of technology, for example, is very important.

And Russia, China, were the most eager countries to invite and Vietnam. They are ready to share new technologies and the mitigation. And most of all in the Southeast Asian rim… Dito on the West side would really be—having a coastal facing the Philippines that they have this technology of having to do with mitigation controls on the damage.

And this will be followed by a technical meet somewhere, I think, China. We were not so briefed on the technical side because we had little time. We were only given six minutes per person.

I wanted to, you know, expound more on my statements about the conditions in the Philippines but because of the limited time, it was good that I had my speech prepared. I could add—ang tagal doon ‘yung Canada, pati si Obama. But ang maraming offers, Russia was very generous in their offer.

JUMILLA: Sir, before I asked you to assess your Russia and China bilaterals. Just a follow up doon sa APEC. You were not able to attend the dinner—the gala dinner and also the family—well, the picture-taking of the leaders?

DUTERTE: I was not able to attend the socials because I wanted the Secretary of Foreign Affairs… I wanted to promote his acting career.

Sabi ko, “ikaw na lang muna diyan at never mind about me.” Really, I… Alam mo kung bakit? Jet lag. Talagang hindi naman ano but lightheaded because exactly at that time that’s my sleeping time back home in the Philippines.

I sleep at 3, 4, 5. Iyon ‘yung panahon dito. Talagang ang mata ko hindi ko mapigilan minsan. And even I was listening to others, nagsasara ‘yung… Sabi ko it’s not good to be somebody ‘yung mga greats ng convention tapos ako nakapikit ang mata. Sabi ko mag-uwi na lang muna ako. Hindi rin ako nakatulog. Pero talagang inantok ako jet lag, simply.

JUMILLA: Sir, finally assessment of your bilateral talks with President Putin and President Xi Jinping especially with Mr. Putin whom you met for the first time.

DUTERTE: You know, we have become fast friends si President Putin pati si President Xi Jinping.

Mukhang parang magkakilala na kami nang matagal and even the way we pat each other’s hand in a handshake. And you know, I didn’t realize then when were—before we were seated. I was talking with the, I think, the Premier of South of Viet Nam.

They were thanking me for the sailors that we sent home. Those fisherfolk na nahuli. Nag-usap kami when I finally sat down, I found out that si President Putin was on my left side, so we shook hands.

And then pagkatapos I shook his hands again and I finally said I go ahead. Tapos nag-senyas siya na, “don’t forget to visit Russia.”

So he has said it… He has extended the gracious invitation maybe about four times already. And maybe I will go. Maybe I shall… What’s the write word? Shall or will—I shall go someday.

But not on a wintry night. I can’t stand cold. Mahirap talaga akong mag-adjust sa cold. Maybe I cannot… I cannot do something productive or worthwhile there. I am not… I am not up to it, cold, mahihirapan ako.

Yes? Any other… Have I answered your question, Lynda? Are you satisfied?

JUMILLA: Yes, sir. Thank you.

JOSEPH MORONG (GMA-7): Hi, sir, magandang hapon po. Sir, remember when you were in Indonesia and then we asked you what is your assessment of ASEAN was? Sabi ninyo, hindi pa iyon ‘yung 18th birthday ninyo and APEC it seems ang sinasabi ninyo noon is going to be your world debut. In relation to your job as President, what’s your realization in participating in the APEC Summit for the first time?

DUTERTE: Well, the so many things that said there, it was really one of climate change. Ang may ano lang… In our little talks before and after, itong climate change kasi the none… I was just discussing it with somebody. Those were my misgivings in Manila. And I was criticized for just hearing my misgivings.

So you don’t have the freedom anymore to express what’s your misgivings are. Ang una kasi ang sinabi ko sa kanila this thing is binding, that’s given but there is no sanction.

Iyon ang misgivings ko at alam naman natin if there is no sanction and you are asking somebody to do something or not to do something, and there is no sanction or punishment or whatever, then it’s nothing.

Now supposing one nation decides that he is over charging everything and that nation is a powerful nation, make your choice of the four. Tapos ayaw nilang maniwala. So what is your remedy?

Iyon ang problema niyan because when it is binding at wala ka namang—hindi ka naman magbayad, hindi ka naman makulong. So… You read the treaty again. Second is that there would be a commonality of funds running two billion or say 200 billion, who is going to give it? Wala naman nakalagay doon.

Eh hanggang ngayon, I don’t know but this is a third… I am not supposed to say something against… Pero kung hindi siya magbayad alam naman ninyo kung sino. Kapag sinabi niya ayaw ko magbayad niyan. May gusto akong sabihin hindi na siya nakabayad ng dues sa United Nations. I don’t have to mention the… Siya mismo hindi nakabayad sa dues niya sa United Nations.

Is there a sanction? Iyan ang mahirap diyan eh. Ngayon, kung tayo ang mag-violate? So there is no punitive action, there is no sanction. But what will happen to you? Kung sila na ang magsabi, ‘we will cut your goddamn what? We will deny your… What? You will not receive your… Pagpunta mo sa eskwelahan wala kang allowance, what? So we just accept it like we can…

Iyan ang mahirap sa… Eh walang nakikinig eh ‘di sabi nila, “kasi si Duterte walang alam.” Anak ka ng… Binasa ko… Apat na taon ako naghirap diyan sa College of Law. Mas marunong… Eh ‘di basahin ninyo uli. You pay so many dollars? Wala.

You have what? You put in a public face and humiliated where the audience to be allowed to laugh? Is that the only thing that you can… Iyon ang ano ko… Pero maraming ano, eh ‘di sabi ko pirmahan natin.

Sabi ng Cabinet… But so long as—these are the things that I… Iyong sinabi ko noon sa Cabinet meeting. Ahead kung anong gawin nitong mga… Because they are up to it but we are not because I said this, life is never fair.

Kaya ganun iyan. That you have to realize in anything personal relationships, filial relationships. Wala talagang even in siblings, there is always the favorite and there is the not so favorite.

Hindi mo malaman iyan. They don’t take notice of it but as you grow old ganun ang… Dito ganun yan eh. So iyan ang ano ko noon.

Commonality of funds, sinong gago ang magbigay ng 200? Madali lang sabihin karami niyan, climate change. EU criticizing me.

Can somebody tell how many nations composed the EU? Sampu lang ang nagpirma diyan sa climate change anak ka ng… And they call it union.

What binds them in a union kung ganun? Pero kung sila ang mag… Ten only. Hindi naman tayo… Hindi naman ito kasing gago talaga na basta na lang siguro sabihin ng Presidente, “Oh ‘yung President ninyo walang alam.” Iyon ang sinabi. Iyon ang alam mo.

MORONG: Sir, medyo curious lang, pasensiya pero… Did you have a…

DUTERTE: You are entitled to… You are entitled to ask and state your own opinion. That is freedom of expression. Kaya ako dapat makinig din sila kasi there is always a meat somewhere. Yes?

MORONG: Sir, curious lang. Did you have an opportunity to interact with President Obama?

DUTERTE: No. I was not looking around. Right after I entered the room I was reading the proposed basic principles which we approved this afternoon. I was reading it. Wala akong kopya noon eh.

But I stood up because the South Vietnamese Premier went to me to thank me for the release of the ‘yon ngang fisherfolk nila who were apprehended within our water.

So I was busy sa… Pagpasok kasi ni President Putin, nag—by glance, he went to me and sabi niya, ‘pare, huwag mo nang sabihin sa media ng Philippines kasi baka magkumpiyansa pero ang sinabi niya ganito… [whispers]

And Xi Jinping, I… Talagang parang… The way… It’s something that you feel. Kasi ‘yung tawa ano na eh maluwang, maluwang ang tawa.

Ang sabi ng mga sa news niyan hindi raw tumatawa ‘yan eh. But he was smiling all along. Sabi niya, ‘huwag kang makalimot punta ng Russia kay may ano ako doon sa iyo… May inireserba ako para sa iyo.’ ‘Totoo ka?’ Baril. Mahilig sa ano iyan eh.

I don’t know but they allow hunting there for itong mga moose. Pinakamalaki yata iyan sa kanila ‘di ba? It’s the biggest parang malaki pa nang… Kasing laki iyan ng carabao eh. Hunting ang passion ng taong iyan. Ako hunting rin. Totoo.

Sigurado diyan ha walang ma-misquote. Totoo iyan baka ulitin natin lahat. It was a productive and very informative because coming out from the delegates adding their own words to the work of their technical men.

Kagaya dito iyon ‘yung binabasa ko. That’s why I… Huwag naman… Do not be offended guys that’s why I do not read speeches kasi hindi mo mapasok ‘yung passion mo kung anong—the right. Pero ‘yung mga nandyan hindi iyan kasali. Huwag na lang ninyong pakinggan iyon. Why do you have to…

HENRY URI (DZRH): Hi, sir. As a result of your bilateral talks with other country leaders, in the next months or years lots of investment will be coming in to our countries. The question is, how would you protect—how would the government is going to protect our agricultural and mineral resources against industrialization?

DUTERTE: Actually, what was being discussed there, there was not so much about business but about food. Maybe business but always food vis-à-vis with the climate—food security and the climate change.

How do we go about skirting this looming crisis here? I think within our generation or, for sure, the next generation will have trouble with that.

Now, innovations regarding the lessening of the carbon footprints is something which we cannot even agree doon sa ano kung paano talaga but for sure we are all agreed na mahal ito. That it would also be a part of the investment of the food security. Or as a matter of fact, it is a platform or vehicle for having a security sa food supply.

And the mitigation, for example, and ‘yung resiliency ng crops. Iyan ang medyo pinagdebatehan doon. So everyone had his piece to say something. But ang sabi nila which we are all… We agreed kami pati tayo dito that it has to be something more profound than just securing it in a warehouse somewhere and enduring typhoons, its sustainability and, of course, ‘yung mitigation.

The mitigation could be man-made structures or it could be something science has to deal with in the coming years. But ang pagkaintidi ko doon, the most innovative things now going on around the world is really ang—that has something to do with climate change.

I was for it actually ‘yung climate change. Ang sinabi ko lang ‘yung misgivings ko. Hindi naman tayo bago sa ganung style eh.

Ang pinag-usapan talaga food, climate change, food, climate change. Somebody even mentioned the Philippines but it had something to do with the impact on the weather. I was trying to make a second guess, hindi ko narinig kaagad eh kung ano iyon . But as I was talking alam ko it had to do with the impact sa global warming. And it heats up in the Pacific and mixes with the cold and hot and we get it front page because tayo ang window sa Pacific eh.

As the storm goes along the eastward, every time that it hits a landmass, hihina nang hihina iyan. Ang Philippines talaga ‘yung Yolanda was the worst. Probably it will be the last in our —sana huwag nang maulit.

But have you been to Tacloban lately? I just ask you a side comment on this. Have you been there lately? Nako bilib ako talaga. The rise of phoenix. Talagang hindi mo akalain, when I was there I was… Day two nandoon na nga ako eh. I was with me my doctors and nurses and medicine. Makita mo how fast and how… Mas double ang ganda ngayon. If it is… Hindi naman credit it, that’s a lousy conclusion but the way the human beings overcome their agony and sorrow.

Kaganda ng… Ang Tacloban din magaganda na ang building mas marami pang dumating. Marunong ang Diyos. Mas maganda. Sa taas mas maganda. Eh pagdating ko doon it was really flattened. But what surprised me without offending our manners, kulang talaga ang… The first thing that they were asking was water. So I was surprised bakit walang Navy doon eh may tanker naman tayo.

And for that matter, any tanker that’s available. Nandyan lang ‘yung Cebu eh. But I hope that those things will be the last.

Pakaunti-konti kaya natin pero yung sa Yolanda… Ang… What is really very sad is we went to climate change and the impact on the lives of human beings. Iyong makita mo lang ‘yung memorial na cross. Hindi mo naman alam kung sino ‘yang inilibing diyan. It’s almost—parang unknown soldiers, ‘yung inilibing lang diyan pero ganun ang makita mo. So it’s a very sentimental thing really. Nakakaiyak. Of course, wala namang kung sino ‘yun.

Basta kung sinong inabot siguro, inilibing kaagad. For those who were gathered in one place and it so created an uproar.

Kaya san… Ako we’re willing to… Iyong mga ano ko sa climate change, there were a few of my questions but I submitted it to whole as a Cabinet policy.

So sabi ko let us agree on this, all, tayong lahat, hindi lang ako. Eh sabi, sige kung okay mo ‘yan, o sige.

There is a binding that is to me not binding being a lawyer and the money, wala namang sinabi from the industrialized countries. Sino? At sigurado bang maglagay ‘yan? I think the most, sabagay lahat naman, we should also thank the United States for the so many assistance that they have given us all these years.

But of late, aggressive ang China pati ang Russia. And again, we thank everybody who would be willing to help the Philippines kasi marami tayong pagkukulang—technology and everything. Why? I cannot answer that.

As your President, do not ask me that question because nasasaktan lang ako. Hindi ko talaga… Why we have lagged behind and…

By the way, I’d like to announce it—mas mabuti alam ninyo. There was this—itong sa Regulatory sa Energy sa…[ERC]

So I was reading the reports sa ano then I had the… In addition to that, I had the internal report, hindi ko na sabihin kanino and the intelligence report. And at this early, before we will have Auckland… So we’ll have dinner in Auckland. Tama nga dinner. Magdi-dinner tayo ng—mag-dinner tayo, dinner rin tayo doon.

Before we reach Auckland, mabuting malaman nila:

I am demanding that they all resign. Kasi nabasa ko ‘yung internal, pati ‘yung sa intelligence. Talagang binastos nila ang… I don’t know, just like in the past.

Sinabi ko na sa inyo, sa kaliit-liit kong ito, I’m just a small town province boy: Ayaw ko talaga ‘yung corruption.

They must resign. I have options: file a case against them all or demand that no money will be appropriated. May hearing pa ‘yan ngayon eh.

Bigyan ko siya zero. If they want to spare the humiliation of sitting there without the money, they resign and I will reorganize or rename the—silang lahat they have to resign.

[top to bottom, sir?]

DUTERTE: No, ewan ko. I don’t know but I leave it to the implementors. Basta itong lahat ng opisyal. Lahat sila they have to resign. Mamili sila.

I will ask Congress—I demand from Congress to disband. Wala nang… And or file a case simultaneous sa kanila when I get back.

I think ‘yung source ko has the document na so wala nang problema. It’s a matter of the lawyers now of government assessing.

Mabuti’t malaman na nila bago ako mag-landing kaya magdasal nalang sila na ma… Mawala na lahat. Lahat pati may isa pa.

Ah, ‘yung kay… Maunahan ko nalang kayo. Late masyado kayo magtanong. Marcos burial, burial of Marcos: It’s all legal.

To me, again, I have only two answers: He was a president, he was a soldier. His name appears on the record, it was recognized, he had a valor medal for his deeds. Maraming magsabi hindi totoo ‘yan—eh ‘yung kalaban niyan, pulitiko kasi. Maski sa akin.

Maraming pros and cons but there are two outstanding ano niya: soldier and a president.

But he was not a hero. That’s a word against their word. Iyong sin whatever ‘yung ano ng… Hindi ko pa nabasa ‘yung Supreme Court but I would stick to what I have said all along.

There is only—dalawa lang. And ang problema niyan he fit on both counts. Soldier and/or president ka.

ROICES NAGUIT (TV 5): Mr. President, some people are questioning the timing of the burial as it coincided with your foreign trip here in Peru.

DUTERTE: In all honesty, I’m telling you: wala akong alam. Nagtanong lang sila when would be the appropriate time for me? Sabi ko, “bahala kayo.” And wala ako, wala, wala. Andito man si Defense Secretary, wala rin siyang sinabi sa akin.

Hindi rin ako nagtatanong at bakit ako magtanong? I allowed it already so what’s it to me? What would I get if I have known in advance whether he will be there for the interment on that day.

I stand by my decision. At saka isang newspaper that bakit daw ginawa ko when my mother was a—the leading figure sa Yellow Friday sa Davao City.

You know, I am a public employee. I decide on what is lawful and what is not. I am now called upon or I was called upon to decide whether it would be lawful for Marcos to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani or it would be an illegal act.

My mother’s cause or causes she fought in her life, kanya ‘yon. But just because she is my mother I cannot state to you that Marcos cannot be buried because according to my mother he was a dictator. Because she had the same issues with the yellow group all over the Philippines.

Pagka sabihin ko, ‘yan ang nanay ko nga called him a dictator. So hindi ‘yan siya pwedeng ilibing doon. You have to separate me from my persona. Pero ako personally, yes, he should be.

Without being a lawyer kasi nga back to square one tayo. Eh sundalo ‘to pati at wala naman akong maibigay na rason bakit hindi mo ‘yan ililibing.

And the second reason really that’s always in my mind: 98 percent of the Ilocandia, people-speaking Ilocano, may sentimento sila bakit ginanun si Marcos.

Lumulutang lang na – because itong mga Ilocano naman they are not really the—itong Ilocano it’s one of the conservative tribes sa atin eh, one is Cagayan.

Ngayon hindi mo pwedeng magsalita ka nang pabastos-bastos. They get offended. And even when they celebrate, there’s always a subdued one. Then they don’t go about the streets shouting and jumping.

So there was really a deep wound somewhere in the country. But for those who cannot really forgive, ‘yun ang mahirap. You just have to leave with your grief and that grieve is hate. Iyan ang problema diyan.

NAGUIT: Sir, lastly. Just your comment because Senators Pangilinan and Pimentel are claiming that the burial can still be reversed should you have a change of heart? And also, people are questioning bakit raw nag-participate ‘yung soldiers in the burial of a former dictator? And also, if there were government funds spent for it?

DUTERTE: That’s immaterial. When you bury a person, you incur expenses. Eh Libingan ng mga Bayani eh. So he’s entitled to even a single centavo that you have to spend there because you’re burying a person who rightfully should be there because according to the law, he’s a soldier and the only reason why I would think that a soldier would be buried there is because he has fought for his country. And a president maybe because he also worked for his government.

May mga taong ganun. Wala namang libre dito. That was the reason why we have this Libingan there because these guys here, the—in front of you, mga pulis, ito nga unang tinatawag nating mamatay eh. So if there is trouble in, like in Cotabato, Who were sent there?

Even if they were not really the appropriate contingent to be there because ‘yang SAF na ‘yan is intended to meet the challenges of urban terrorism. Siyudad ‘yung street fighting ganun. Kaya sila hanggang ano lang, not so—walang heavy weapons. There’s no need for it. Mga rifle-rifle lang kayo diyan and they are—may artillery.

ROSE NOVENARIO (Hataw): Sir, good evening po. Sir, ano po yung update sa drug war pong isinusulong ng inyong administrasyon lalo na po sa kaso ni Kerwin Espinosa at ni Senator Leila de Lima po?

DUTERTE: Actually the Secretary of Justice is investigating the case. It is clear to us that he is building his theory, the theory of the case. Let him be muna.

Hindi ako mag-ano kay baka—you know, he is under me and I do not want to sound preposterous by sabihin ko na hindi akin yan, balang araw, that decision of his will be really mine.

In the same manner na itong kay burial ni ano… Everything that a Cabinet member does is akin ‘yan. Hindi ako pwede maghugas ng kamay na hindi akin, kay ano yan, kay Jun yan eh. Eh wala talaga magawa, eh gusto niya magpapicture doon sa mga ano, the greats. Tapos I want to help his acting career.

Sabi ko, ikaw nalang muna doon, Jun, kasi… No really I asked him to pinch-hit for me. Sabi ko hindi ko kaya, hindi ko kaya. Iyong mukha ko bagsak na eh. I didn’t have the…

Rocky, wala kang tanong? Panahon ni Ramos, kinakaya-kaya mo ako. Pagkatapos kay Ramos tahimik ka na. Anong klase ka?

ROCKY IGNACIO (PTV 4): Good evening, Mr. President. Since may nangyari sa ERC, and then you want them out of the agency, marami na rin kasing nagtatanong, kalian din mag-start ‘yung program mo na pwedeng maging sumbungan ng bayan? TV program.

ANDANAR: It’s already on air.

DUTERTE: I leave the technical guys kasi sa ano pa yan eh… I-connect mo ‘yan sa Smart. Hindi naman basta nai-video mo yung complaint, pero yung mismong ano eh they have to do something about it. I-connect mo doon sa computer na paglabas sa cellphone mo maglabas doon sa ano.

But ganun ang gusto ko. Eh di sana meron yan noon, nasumbong na yan lahat. But ako actually marami na ang nagsasabi sa akin.

Ang iba puro intriga, ‘kasi yan hindi mo inappoint yan.’ Hindi ako nakikinig ng ganun. Right at the start wala akong ginawa. ‘Yan may fixed term yan pero hindi yan tao mo ganun.

Wala akong nasabi yung may fixed term, yung sa—sino itong, ‘yung isang babae diyan na mga kakilala ko sa mga Cabinet member ko—

[Licuanan, CHED?]

Yeah, Licuanan. Pagsabi niya lang, pagsabi —— sabi ko, [garbled] may fixed term, hayaan mo, pati yang… Pero ito, marami na akong narinig dito. Nag—just bide my time, ika nga.

MS. IGNACIO: Pero, sir, ano yung mga naririnig mo na kita mo na kaagad na dapat talagang bigyan ng investigation agad?

DUTERTE: Kaya nga. Nandiyan na ‘yan. Nauna ang… Meron na yung ano mga kwestyunable na… So I have the appointments maraming consultants, sobra-sobra mas marami pa consultant kaysa Presidente.

Ako hanggang assistant secretary ka lang. Iyong consultant nga, Amboy, walang sweldo yan. Lahat ng consultant dito, one peso a year ago.

Iyon nababasa ko na. Sabi ko dahan-dahan lang. And, of couse, ang pinakamahirap diyan Rocky, ang contracts because you have to— yung sa itong—mahirap kasi itong 3019. Is it the Anti-Graft Law? 3019?

Mahirap ‘yong ano nila, “to the prejudice of another”, napaka hirap niyan mas mabuti pa babalik tayo doon sa Revised Penal Code.

Kaya yang—some other time, I’ll talk about Pangilinan and how this country became—bakit nawala yung sense of accountability ng mga anak natin.

In and out, in and out of prison everyday and you cannot do anything. You can commit the most heinous crime, rape-in mo, patayin mo, nakawin mo pa, the following day he goes out.

That’s how it was. So you produce a generation of people who never had any sense or even an inkling of what the word accountability means. To criticize… That was the law that produced a generation of criminals.

MORONG: ‘Yung criticisms ng US parang hindi naman valid because they’re not even signatory to the ICC?

DUTERTE: Well, it’s a matter of record and they signed it sub rosa—I need no defense actually. Ako because indefensible yan eh. Why? Because lives are lost. Why? Because there is war still going on.

I never declared a punitive police action. I used the word against drugs war. Then I said they should be careful about the use especially dito sa South America because that is also their problem but ako, it will not stop.

I am not saying killings but if the war against drugs in the Philippines will not stop until the last drug pusher is out of the streets and the last drug lord exterminated.

If it would take lifetime like 6 years in my entire term, so be it. If i am sent to prison, rot in jail, so be it. I have had my fill, ika nga. I had it my way. We’ll do it my way. ●