Talk to Southern Luzon Command in Lucena

The following is the transcript of the speech of the President to the Southern Luzon Command at Camp Guillermo Nakar, Lucena, Quezon on 28 July 2016.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

DURING HIS VISIT TO CAMP GUILLERMO NAKAR

Lucena City, Quezon Province

July 28, 2016

Secretary Delfin Lorenzana; Secretary Arthur Tabaquero; General Ricardo Visaya; Lieutenant General Eduardo Año; Major General Romeo Gan; Police Chief Superintent Valfrie Tabian; officials, men and women of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police; fellow workers in government; my beloved countrymen.

Commander, can you give the order of tikas pahinga?

I just came from a briefing from your officers and I am happy with the non-military and military efforts that you have given to the country, the Republic of the Philippines. I would like you to know that it is with gratitude that I thank you for the service that you have extended to the country.

Meron tayong development sa ating bayan. I know that it is a—medyo resistant kayo to accept it because of the historical—’yung sakit. Maraming namatay sa inyo, pero bagamat marami ring namatay sa mga komunista. But as President, I have to seek peace for our country. Not only with the communist insurgency but doon rin sa Muslim insurgency.

Mahirap tanggapin na mukhang ang labas niyan is patawaran nang lahat. Alam ko, medyo hindi madali tanggapin ‘yan. But, as a President and Commander-in-Chief, I have to think of the Republic of the Philippines and the whole of the people in this country. Hindi pwede na estudyante pa ako pati hanggang ngayon nagpapatayan; and we continue to lose men, good men, mga sundalo pati pulis, until now. 

Siguro, ewan ko kayong sa military, but kayong mga pulis, walang opisyal dito sa Republika who has defended you and took care of you noong mayor ako sa Davao.

From the time that you are being charged, up to the time—performance of duty—that’s what I’m telling you, hanggang ma-suspend kayo, hanggang mawalaan kayo ng trabaho, hanggang ma-reinstate kayo.

I never allowed any police officer or the ordinary patrolman to go to prison for performing the duty. I would like to reiterate now that policy and to include the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines na basta magtrabaho lang kayo, in accordance with your mandate wala kayong problema. Wala talaga ikaw problema because I will be there. Sinabi ko sa SONA—to be with you.

I will protect you and I will answer for the things that I ordered na gawin mo. Sinabi ko ito ‘yan, gawain mo ‘yan, at ika’y nagkakaroon ng kaso, masabit ka, wala ka talagang problema. Forget about the problem because I will answer for you personally and officially.

Huwag na tayo mag-usapan ng mga ordinary na, hindi karapat-dapat na gawin ng isang Army o isang pulis, because we are not here to oppress people, we are here to protect them at ‘yung mga sa labas na trabaho, talagang sorry, wala akong pakialam. But dito sa ating kapakanan ng ating bayan, maaasahan ninyo ‘yan.

At ako po’y nag-order ng increase of salaries beginning August, dahan-dahan na kayong makakuha ng incremental increases ninyo. Hindi ho po mabigyan niyan, [applause] hindi ho natin madali lahat ‘yan. Alam ninyo that I went in the presidency, into the presidency—midstream. Ibig sabihin, nandiyan na ‘yung budget, which was prepared last year, and yet they’re not really much money to go around. So I have to worry about the entire machinery of the Republic. I was not the one who programmed ‘yung gastusin natin. And ‘yung promise ko na ako—that was a campaign promise in my quest for the presidency but hindi kasali ‘yan sa budget. Iyong ngayon—next year, then can I program the money properly but I have insisted sa budget na it must be implemented now.

So, magkakaroon kayo ng incremental increases by the months as they go by. Until such time that I’d be able to make my promise to really doblado na ‘yung sweldo niyo. 

Kayo lang talaga ang nauna because I know your sacrifice. Kaya ko mahal ang pulis kasi alam ko namamatay ‘yan, pati sundalo in the performance of duty. Kasi kumbaga gulo, kayo naghahanap ng gulo eh, sa buhay niyo. So eventually, you go out to patrol the mountains, you go after the communists. Ayan, naghahanap ka talaga ng kamatayan diyan and I know that, because ako, I rose from the rank. At hindi naman ako namumulitika. Anak rin ako ng mahirap and my father was also, in his time, a military man.

Kaya naiintindihan ko ‘yung lagay—laro ng panahon. Basta, magtrabaho lang kayo, wala kayong dapat—do not worry. I will not abandon, maski to the last man. Ilan bang thousand? 120? Pulis? To the last man, protektado kayo. Hindi ko kayo pababayaan.

Ito namang ating—we have to seek peace, not only with the communist. We have to insist on peace even sa ating mga Moro na kapatid. So, ganon rin. As I talk to the communist, I will talk to the MI, MN, and all the armed groups there. Hindi kasali ang Abu Sayyaf. I will not talk with criminal. Hindi dapat pagusapan—only those with an ideology—tutal kasi, hangarin nila, the reason why we treat them not really as a—down to the ano na kalaban because—kaya nga nag-rebelde nga sila because they think that they can have a better life. Filipinos can have a better life under them, which is crazy that’s why you are fighting them. Eh hindi naman ako papayag because the Constitutional mandate belongs to this government, not with them.

Kaya ‘yan ang hindi pwede talagaNG pag-usapan. Pero ‘yung mga criminal, wala na. You have to destroy them. There’s no other choice. There’s no ideology. There’s not a program of government for the people. There is not alternative na sige, kami ang ilagay kasi ito ‘yung aming magandang paraan sa gobyerno. Nothing of this sort.

So, itong mga—those who would want to destroy the country, those who would want to destroy the next generation, nandyan lang sa boundary ‘yung mga anak natin, ‘yang mga bata diyan. They are there—kasi tayo halfway, kayo middle-aged na. Kaya some of you are in the 20s, but palabas na tayo. Kami palabas na talaga.

We cannot hand over to next generation ang problema ng droga kasi malawak. Before, I’ve said to the—your officers: I was a whipping boy sa Davao City. I was bruited about, attacked, and criticized na nag-extra judicial killing, marami.

Ang ano ko kasi, sinabi ko na noong naupo ako ng mayor: Kayong mga hold-upper, kidnapper at lahat ng criminals, at ang mga durugista, umalis kayo ng Davao. Kasi ‘pag hindi, papatayin ko kayo.

Ngayon—was covered by TV and everything. Ngayon, anong order ko? Eh talagang papatayin ko kayo. Droga. Noong ako, ang sinasabi ninyo, naka-focus lang ang camera ng Pilipinas sa akin, ‘yung hardliner na extra judicial killer. I was criticized by the Human Rights until now, sa Senado. Eh hindi naman directly but ‘yung off tangent na salita.

Eh kung totoo? Eh ‘di totoo ‘yan. ‘Wag mo nang dramahin diyan. Talagang papatayin kita, itong droga. Kasi wala ng ginawa—nong naging Presidente ako, inipit ko na lahat. Hindi ko man alam ganito kalawak. Noong inipit ko na lahat ng mga—lahat sa gobyerno, lumabas na. So how many? 130? No, we are counting 150 now surrenderees na users. But a user is a pusher. Pwera na lang kung anak ka ni Ayala o ni Consunji o ni Gokongwei, ‘pag nalulong ka sa droga eh maghanap ka ng tao na isusuporta rin ang—sa bisyo mo. Then the other idiot will also contaminate and this must not happen.

PDEA said that we have 3 million, two years ago, came out with the statement that there are 3 million plus, plus addicts. Ponder on it. Tulugan ninyo. Sleep on it. Isipin ninyo kung anong epekto ng bayan.

I have to—I have—I am not just telling the police to take a punitive police action. We are—we have a crisis and we are facing a war. Pati si [Genelosa?] pinakialam. Papaano sabihin na “saan ang big fish?” Pati ang Mexico, si [Genelosa?] pumasok na dito, at talagang shipment tayo. 

I can just, cannot… Ang problema is I cannot show the matrix to how, how? “Where’s the big fish? Bakit hanap kang mahirap?” Anak ka—ang big fish dito sa ating ano, ipapakita ko, blangko ‘yan, hindi natin kilala. But we know that they are—these guys are controlling. Where? From the outside.

Tawagan lang sila. They have a digital camera. “I-zoom-in mo sa, diyan sa bandang Pandacan. O, may nakita ka diyan na ano, diyan mo ibagsak. Pumunta ka sa isang kanto, lumabas ka diyan, may kotse, kunin mo ‘yung pera mo.”

But we have are the  workers, ‘yung mga trabahante, mga basurero tawag natin,  the lingo ng PDEA, at ang mga—’yung tinyente lang nila? Wala tayo dito, “Where’s the big fish?” Gusto mo? Punta ka ng China. Doon hanapin ninyo. 

Kaya I wanted to talk to the ambassador. Eh naunahan lang kasi ako ng media. Inilibas nila—”to confront China”. Sabi ko—sabi na lang, huwag munang magsalita, unahin muna natin ‘yung China Sea.

Ganong kalawak ang—I cannot. God. How do I fight the war? Hindi naman tayo pumunta roon makipag-away. We cannot go there to just declare war. Hindi nga tayo pwede diyan mag—because it is not the—hindi naman sinabi takot ha, but it is not the correct move. We do not go into a violence fight as war now because simply it’s not correct. We have to maintain the integrity of this Republic. Aba kung magpasok sila, ibang istorya ‘yan. Pero it’s just a body of water. Tinanggap naman ni Ramos ‘yung commission to ano—eh ‘di hayaan na natin si Presidente kung ano.

Yesterday, Alunan, the former Secretary of Local Government, came to the office to report because he was recruited by the President. Alam mo Secretary Alunan, as I have said to everybody, the President is—Ramos is comfortable with Alunan.

So sabi ko: Sige, sir, salamat sa offer. And hayaan na muna natin sila. Let Ramos navigate the course then maybe when the final talks are there, tapos kaharap na kami, then that would be the time na magpaprangkahan na tayo. This is our position, this is what we have, we will not go out of it, so we talk. So what is your position? Ganun ‘yan. Pero at this time, it is not yet right to just come up with the ano—magulo ‘yan eh. So we take the advice of the elders. President Arroyo said, “caution”. President Estrada said, “restraint.” Si President Aquino, ganun na naman, but he won for us the case. So kaya ako nagsabi: “Maraming salamat po for giving us the ace card.” It was he who filed—it was upon his instructions. So ako, ano lang rin, because during my watch, medyo dahan-dahan lang ako diyan. I cannot be precipitate, ah sige daanin mo sa init ng ulo, patay na. Your life is not something that I can just throw away. Pero ang message ko: Just work. 

And the United States gave us 33 million dollars. Iyong nag-usap kami ni Kerry I have 32—nandiyan si Secretary—sabi niya ano, in front of everybody, pati si Esperon, si Delfin Lorenzana, sabi niya: “You know I am here but I’ll give you 32 million dollars. Now, it is available for your police.” So gamitin ko ‘yan exactly para sa iyo. Hindi doon na para inyo mawawala. Iyan 33 million for security, sa drugs and threats of terrorism. May ipinakita si Secretary of Defense noong nagpunta ako sa Laur, the ideal equipment, you will have it, walang problema. You will have it, bibilhin ko para sa inyo. The best armaments to fight the enemy. [applause]

Ngayon, mag-issue ako ng warning sa komunista. I was informed just this—before I came out na may inambush na tatlong—apat na CAFGU, isang patay, tatlo ‘yung sugatan. Kaya tinawagan ko ‘yung congressman nila sa left, komunista rin iyon, pati si Bebot ‘yung negotiator, sabi ko, kausap ko ‘yung congressman. Sabi ko: “Ano ba ‘to? Are we in into this truce or are we not?” Sinabi ko sa kanila, “give me an answer by tonight because pag tomorrow wala, tatanggalin kong”—eh balik tayo sa away. Kung iyan ang gusto ninyo e ‘di—if you do not honor and you kill a single soldier or a CAFGU, who is also a soldier of the Republic, eh sabi ko: Kalimutan na natin ito. Fight na lang. 

Sabi ko I am demanding an explanation from the Communist Party of the Philippines. And just like us kung nagkasala kami dito, we punish our men and women sa serbisyo. Expect the same and I demand an answer na kung sino ‘yung nagkasala, they must be also put under disciplinary action. Otherwise, wala tayong pinag-usapan. That is my deal with them.

So, itong—huwag kayong—do not feel aggrieved na ano. I will not allow ganong action. We demand an action, whereas—kayo ang nagkasala, lalo na ano, imbestigasyon. So with the others.

I will be talking to the MI, MN, shortly. May ano na tayo. But in the meantime, you, ‘yung focus ninyo, wala pa naman tayong ano. I have yet to order anyhow. Huwag muna niyo i-focus ‘yung komunista. But you are not suppose to go to the barracks and just stay idly there. There are many tasks, mandates, criminality. Iyong itong mining. The rich people are abusing the generosity of the Filipino. Multinationals pati ‘yung mga oligarchs, they go there and destroy the land.

Kaya gagamitin ko kayo to just put a stop. Hindi naman giyera, wala naman itong—but who are just Filipinos na mataas who can get contracts, and ano, kung anong mga kontrata hingiin mo sa gobyerno, ibibigay because of corruption or because of—”sige pare, tayu-tayo kasi ngayon.’ That will not happen during my watch. It would be a clean government.

Kaya ako wala na akong drama. Kapag sinabi ni Defense Secretary: “Rod kailangan,” he’s my friend way, way back. He brought in the second ranger battalion to my city. We are friends for so long a time. Kaya naghanap ako ng Defense, sabi ko si ano na lang, siya lang rin ang kilala ko eh. Iyong magagandang lalaki dito raw sa ano—di ko naman kayo—sorry na lang.

Pero kayo, kaibigan tayo. So sabi niya, sabi ko: “Bilhin mo na. Wala nang arte-arte diyan. Maya-maya idaan mo pa ‘yan sa ibang opisina, nandiyan na naman ‘yung corruption.” Basta kung ano ‘yung magaganda para sa inyo, makukuha niyo. But I will be there to support you. I’ll be your Commander-in-Chief.

Wala kayong problema sa akin. Wala tayong problema. Alam natin ang trabaho natin. Alam ninyo kung ano ‘yung trabaho ninyo at paano gawin. The right way is always the way—only way for us to do it, including me.

So, hindi na ako magtagal. Maghabol ako ng sunset. Malungkot ako masyado dahil wala naman kwenta ‘yang—trabaho ako hanggang gabi alas-tres. Sakay ako ng barge. Tapos magtrabaho, tulog, tapos gisingin ako kasi maglipad na kami—okay ako dito kung magpasyal-pasyal lang. Pero kung sa Malacañang lang ako, na maglibing kayo ng presidente sunod na taon. Mamatay ako diyan sa boredom.

What is the cause of the—hindi rin ako makalabas. I do not want to create traffic. Long before that you pass the place, naka-block na. So ‘yung buntot ng traffic, pag-alis mo agawan na, then another confusion. I do not want to impose that to our people. So I am not available for any. Itong ganito kasi, helicopter man. Hindi man ako mag-traffic. So huwag kayong mag-practice-practice diyan sa ano, mga kahoy- kahoy. Baka pagdaan ko diyan, ako ang matamaan. Wala na kayong Commander-in-Chief, patay. 

Hindi na ako magtagal. I said I’d like to catch the next flight available. I want to go home. There’s a pressing problem. But I’ll be back on Sunday. Then I’d be spending the rest of the 10 days in Davao. But you are all invited. Per chance, you’ll be there, kasama mo pamilya mo. Tawagan mo lang si Bong. Ako na ang bahala. Wala kayong problema.

Basta military, okay ‘yan. Walang problema. Wala man silang problema doon (applause). So, I will not take a—I will not tarry any longer. I hope that you’re all well.

At—yung mga problema, ganito ha. ‘Yung ito, atin-atin lang ito. Psst, media, huwag kayong makinig diyan, alis kayo. Kung may problema kayo, gaano kabigat. Alam ko ganoon ‘yan eh.  Minsan may magsakit, cancer. You just go to your CO. Sabihin mo, pakitawag kay Secretary Delfin, then tawagan ako. Mag-usap tayo. Iyong mga mabigat na problema, ‘yung mabigat lang. And it will come. Karamihan niyan, magkasakit sa cancer, asawa. Kailangan operasyon, heart. Do not—huwag na kayong—dito na lang, diretso sa Commanding Officer mo. Pati pataas kay—madali lang man. Three minutes dadating na sa akin ‘yan, five minutes. And I will—mga pulis—take care of you. Just do your duty, protect the people, make sure that entire country is intact and we will all be happy. Sabay-sabay tayo.

Maraming salamat po. ●