Interview With the President After the CCLEX Groundbreaking Ceremony

Interview with the President after the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Groundbreaking Ceremony on 2 March 2017 at Virlo Public Market, Cordova Cebu.

Q: Sir, what do you think is the economic benefit of the bridge construction… for Cebu and the Philippines?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It is a sign that your GDP is growing. GDP makes income… gross domestic product of a locality, whether national or local, simply means income. Income na kumikita na at yumaman ang lugar. And Cebu is exploding actually, na sumusunod sa Maynila talaga. It follows Maynila… Maynila trend and I’m happy, especially taga-rito rin ang tatay ko.

Q: Oh okay. Sir bagong lolo ulit kayo.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah, oo I’m exceedingly excited. I want to go home now. Galing dito, uwi na ‘ko.

Q: Sir when are you gonna see your apo?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Diretso nako sa hospital.

Q: Ngayon sir? Ngayon na sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Lalaki eh. Hay salamat.

Q: Stonefish daw sir ‘yung pangalan?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ewan ko bakit ‘yang si Inday ang—Sana ipagbili… ipagbili man daw niya sa’kin.

Q: Anong ipagbili?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ganon ang practice doon sa… it’s a practice eh. Eh kasi competing ‘yan eh. In-laws… Kaya kung mabili nila, nagiging kanilang ancestors. Kung ako ang manalo, ‘yung mga pangalan ng ancestors, akong mamili.

Q: Sir, dahil ba dito sa apo niyo, mas lalong naging malakas ‘yung resolve ninyo tungkol sa droga at ibabablik niyo na ba full swing ang Tokhang?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I will… there are so many objections raised during the last, in the past month, na it was highlighted during the kidnapping of the Korean national.

I will place it squarely upon the lap of si Bato. But they have to be very careful because I would even say that charges should be filed if they commit a mistake and [inaudible], including ‘yung mga pulis na nabigyan ng mga pera, really, precisely to buy, kasi kung walang pera, hindi mo bigyan ng pulis ang pera, walang trafficking. There has to be a buy and sell.

Otherwise, walang trafficking ng drugs. So that is why, ‘yung nabigyan, saan na ‘yung pera, ‘yung iba sabi nila binibigyan sila dahil para ipatay. Kalokohan.

Q: Mayor, ano ng update doon sa case nila Mayor Michael Rama, Loot, at tsaka ni Peter Lim? Ano na update doon Mayor?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I said, it is an [inaudible] unless you are caught in possession, there’s really no [inaudible].

Q: Sir nabasa ‘yung sa Human Rights Watch? Sir, nagbira ulit ‘yung Human Rights Watch. Ang sabi parang—government sanctioned man ‘yung mga killings, ‘yung recent lang sir na criticism.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Lahat naman sila lumaban. ‘Yung hindi lumaban sa gobyerno, hindi amin ‘yun. Baka pari ang kalaban nila.

‘Yung namatay during encounters, of course I answer for them. I hold myself legally responsible. Huwag ninyong idemanda ‘yung pulis pati sundalo kasi inutos ko lang ‘yan sa kanila.

Q: Sir, sabi parang ano daw, parang emboldened ba na mag-plant ng evidence?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala. Maniwala ka diyan…

Q: Walang planting of evidence sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: [inaudible] karami diyan hulihin na mayroon, bakit ka doon magplant ng evidence?

Q: Sir doon sa paglinis po, sa… ng inyong Gabinete, lahat ng mga tao na nagta-trabaho para sa inyo, mayroon pa po ba kayong nakikita na matatanggal o magre-resign?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I just fired one last week. Unless the– Alam mo ganitong usapan, ‘Adre sama tayo sa gobyerno, pero malinis ‘to ha. Hindi ‘to itong, do not… This is not for profit. Huwag ninyo akong hiyain. Pag hiniya ninyo ako, hiwalay-hiwalay tayo.

Q: Kaibigan niyo siya? So masakit din sa kalooban niyo?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes of course.

Q: Sinibak or pinakiusapan niyo na lang na–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I told him to resign.

Q: Sir can we ask about your meeting with Senator Enrile?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala, he advised me on so many things. First of all, ‘yung sa droga, then the national security, our problems with the, the IS, mga Maute, he’s very concerned about that. And of course, to handle more, with the proper perspective, the approach of the next, if ever kung ma-resume itong CPP-NPA-NDF, but the government [inaudible].

I am not inclined to decide now. But I will wait for developments that we are waiting for.

Q: [inaudible]

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Lalabas talaga ‘yan kasi ano ‘yan eh, hindi mo mapigilan ‘yan. COA will always hanker for that, then after they file cases, what can I do? Maski na gusto kong mag-cover-cover diyan, if it’s public, then anong magawa ko?

Q: [inaudible]

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sa akin? Ako? Maghingi ka ng tulong sa’kin? No, of course not.

Q: Sir can I ask again about the Human Rights Watch report sir? Crimes against humanity daw sir, can I get your reaction?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: You do not… that is not—If you kill criminals, it is not a crime against humanity. The criminals have no humanity. God damn it. ●