Presidential Speech Before Leaving for Laos

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE 28TH AND 29TH ASEAN SUMMITS IN LAOS

Davao International Airport

05 September 2016

Lahat man kayo nakabarong.

Well, ladies and gentlemen my co-workers in government, mga mahal kong kababayan. I am leaving for Vientiane, Laos to join other ASEAN leaders at the 28th and 29th Summits and Related Summits. This will be my first meeting with other leaders of ASEAN Member-States as well as the leaders of the ASEAN’s important dialogue partners including Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States, that I will take the opportunity to discuss with them important regional and international issues that impact on the peace, security, stability, and the prosperity of our region.

Recent events have shown that there are elements out there who seek to sow terror and wreak havoc in our society. We remain firm in our resolve to combat terrorism in other forms and manifestations. We remain committed to our vow and duty to do our utmost to protect our citizens. I ask every Filipino to do this, to do his and her part for the sake of our country.

To use the opportunity for meeting other ASEAN Leaders and ASEAN dialogue partners, to seek better support for regional efforts to address terrorism, and extreme and violent extremism. Terrorism and violent extremism are global concerns, and the Philippines will do its part as a member of the International Community and work with the partners to address this issue.

The Summit of ASEAN Leaders will discuss the way forward in realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 with rules-based, people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN. The security of our region hinges on cooperation of ASEAN Member-States as well as the dialogue partners. Consistent to the Philippines’ cornerstone programs, we will call for a renewed cooperation for a drug-free ASEAN Community.

The Summits will also be excellent opportunities to underscore the importance of the rule of law and peaceful settlement of disputes. The interest of our people are at the heart of the ASEAN community-building and we shall work with our neighbors in addressing transnational issues such as trafficking of persons, terrorism and violence extremism.

On the economic front, we shall discuss ways to make growth inclusive so that the benefits of economic growth are felt by every Filipino. These include strengthening collectivity, and the region enhancing trade underscoring the importance of micro and small and medium industries, and conserving and sustaining the growth environment.

And those socio-economic aspects will advance and improve access to education that will open opportunities for all, including out-of-school youth to develop and realize the potentials to be productive and responsible members of society.

We will continue engaging our neighbors on the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers. We will also push for capacity-building to improve emergency response and disaster management.

I have the honor to accept on behalf of the Philippines, the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017 from Laos. This will formerly mark an important leadership role for the Philippines in the region as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the association next year.

After the ASEAN Summits, I will proceed with my working visit to Indonesia to discuss bilateral issues impacting our relationships. Upon my return I will report on the gains that the Philippines achieved during the visits.

Daghang Salamat. ●

Questions and Answers

QUESTION: Good afternoon sir, Jerome Morales from Reuters News. Sir, there have been concerns on extrajudicial killings. And you will meet leaders, any line of communication that you have prepared to address this issue in front of other foreign leaders?

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE: Extrajudicial killings?

QUESTION: Yes, human rights.

DUTERTE: To whom shall I address myself to? And who will be asking the question may I know?

QUESTION: Obama sir. [no microphone]

DUTERTE: You know, the Philippines is not a vassal state. We have long ceased to be a colony of the United States. Alam mo, marami diyan, sa mga kolumnista, they look upon Obama and the United States as if we are the lap dogs of this country. I do not respond to anybody but to the people of the Republic of the Philippines. Wala akong pakialam sa kaniya. Who is he? When as a matter of a fact, at the turn of the century, before the Americans left the Philippines in the pacification campaign of the Moro in this island, there were about six million ang population ng Moro. How many died? Six hundred. If he can answer that question and give the apology, I will answer him.

I am not beholden to anybody. Iyong mga kolumnista diyan na ‘wait until he meets,’ who is he? I am a President of a sovereign state, and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master, except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody.

You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions and statements. Putang-ina, mumurahin kita diyan sa forum na ‘yan. Huwag mo akong ganunin. Tell that to everybody. Itong mga kolumnista, para ba akong tinatakot, anak ka ng — umalis kayo diyan sa Pilipinas, pumunta kayo doon sa Amerika. You write kung ano nasa isip — the lap dogs of this American. Who is he to confront me? As a matter of fact, he has too many –America has one too many to answer for the misdeeds in this country. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa tayo nakatikim ng apology niyan. That is the reason why Mindanao continues to boil.

Sabi mo that was the last century, ‘yang wounds na ‘yan from generation to generation. As a matter of fact, we inherited this problem from the United States. Why? Because they invaded this country and made us their subjugated people. Everybody has a terrible record of extrajudicial killings. Why make an issue about fighting crime? Hindi nga niya maubus-ubos ‘yan sa Mexico border niya. Look at the human rights of America along that line, the way how they treat the migrants there. Masyado kayong bilib sa Amerika, bumilib kayo dito sa atin, ano iyang America. Siya ang mag-explain sa akin kung bakit ganun extrajudicial killing nila. Can he explain the 600,000 Moro massacred in this island? Do you want to see the pictures? Maybe, you’ll ask him, and make it public. We have a recorded history of that sordid period of our national life.

Nobody but nobody can just—sino ka? ‘Yung mga American-Indian sa sine lang inubos mo eh. What about the rights of those guys who died in the past? Is it because it’s just the past tense we do not answer for the present tense? You must be kidding. Stop joking yourself. Kayong mga sobra kabilib diyan—who is Obama to ask me that? I’ll tell him, who are you? Tell him that, telegraph mo ngayon. Hindi ako punta dito, magpaka-ulila diyan sa mga…

We have long been a Republic. I do not — I said, I do not kneel down before anybody else, except the Filipino in Quiapo walking in misery and in extreme poverty and hunger. Hindi kayo maghinto diyan sa droga—the campaign against drugs will continue. Maraming mamatay diyan, plenty will be killed until the last pusher is out of the streets. Until the drug manufacturer is killed, we will continue and I will continue, and I don’t give a shit about anybody observing my behavior. Sige lang mabilib kayo diyan. ‘Yung mga column nag-bash, susmaryosep! Pagka-lap dog ng mga–pretending to be the conscience of this–sino ka? Hindi ako bilib diyan sa America. Gusto mo sipain ko pa ‘yan sa harap mo eh. Pumunta kayo doon.

QUESTION: Good afternoon sir, I’m Lala Babilonia from PTV4. Sir, what’s your plan about the issue, the execution of Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia?

DUTERTE: Hindi kita nakuha.

QUESTION: Ano, sir–what’s your plan about the issue or the execution of Mary Jane Veloso in Indonesia? Mary Jane Veloso, sir.

DUTERTE: About to be executed? Yes.

QUESTION: Yes, sir.

DUTERTE: Well, I may just have to ask Widodo in a most respectful and in very, very courteous way. And if my pleadings will fall on deaf ears, I am ready to accept it – for the simple reason I do not doubt the judicial system of Indonesia. I have been there once upon a time, and I was able to observe how it works. Whether or not she is really guilty, she’s bound to be culpable–culpable liability.

So, I might just accept the system and plead for mercy. But if President Widodo will deny it, still I would be grateful that she has been treated very well. For after all, we have our laws to follow and had it been any other or the other way around, I might also be at the receiving end of so many pleas for mercy and I would never know what or how to react.

Yes, Pia. Hindi man ganito magpahuli sila. I will change my attire in the airplane. I do not wear a barong sitting down. It’s itchy.

QUESTION: Sir, good afternoon. Could we just find out more about your declaration of state of lawlessness, and when we can expect parameters or guidelines of the implementation? For example, how long it will take, if there will be any curfews on certain areas. Siguro, more specifics on your declaration or if we can expect the document?

DUTERTE: Well number one, is that we should work out a very good example of how it works in other countries and the Philippines. But others, we have to ask for their support and maybe their cooperation of working this out. ‘Yan ang parameter—that’s the economic side of it, let’s say itong migration. Kasi bukas na lahat eh, bukas na lahat because there’s free trade especially if we can perfect the free trade agreement between ASEAN. Removing all barriers, tariff and everything including the migration of workers.

QUESTION: [no microphone]

DUTERTE: Wala mang lawlessness doon eh. Ano man sa—dito?

QUESTION: [no microphone]

DUTERTE: Dito? Tayo ‘yan. I will not discuss it with them. I will not discuss it with them. I thought I said, I’d have talks on the economic side.

It’s an internal affair which nobody but nobody should interfere including the so-called extrajudicial killing of the drug lords and the apparatus members of the drug syndicates. It will continue. Sabi ko, until such time that I can proclaim to the nation that we are drug-free. If that is my only purpose in this presidency, so be it. If you remove me because of the killings, then it shall be so.

Again, I would like to—there are a lot of you so much about extrajudicial killing, then connect it with Obama. No, I do not want to pick a quarrel with Obama but certainly, I would not appear to be beholden to anybody. I only am answerable again, to the Filipino people who elected me as President. Period. Nobody but nobody should interfere. This is an independent country, nobody has the right to lecture on me. God, do not do it.

Magka–gusto mo, yeah the right word, magkababuyan tayo doon ‘pag ginawa mo sa akin ‘yan. I do not accept that proposition that anybody is superior than me. We are supposed to be equal there. My country might be small, hardly keeping up with the economic problems but I will not allow myself—iinsultuhin mo, iinsultuhin mo ‘yung Pilipino. But there are others whose mental—who has the mental capacity of dogs who laugh at the ass of the Americans.

Salamat.