Dinner with PMA Class 67

The President attended a dinner with the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 67 Golden Jubilarians on 17 February 2017 at the Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club, Baguio City.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE DURING HIS DINNER WITH PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY CLASS 1967

Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club, Baguio City
February 17, 2017

General Anselmo Avenido Jr., President of PMA Class of 1967; Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, a long-time friend spanning to almost 40 years; Lieutenant General Donato San Juan II, Superintendent, Philippine Military Academy; my fellow mistahs of PMA Class 1967 and their families; my beloved countrymen.

You know, usually I do not read speeches. But since I am with you, with the family, I mean the generational crowd, I would like to be proper and baka —[applause] Well of course, this one is prepared that comes from the heart.

Kasi pag nagasasalita ako ng ano, hindi lumalabas ‘yung totoo. Kasi ‘yung pine-prepare ng staff sa Malacañang, it’s almost walang mali but… So you cannot express what you want to say and there are plenty of things that can be said about our country today.

But anyway, first of all, my heartfelt congratulations to the ‘Dimasupil’ Class of 1967 on the occasion of the golden jubilee.

Let me also give my thanks to our families who have always been there for us through thick and thin. This night is also for them.

As we commemorate this momentous event, let us also celebrate the lives of our mistahs and Class ‘67 ladies who have gone before us.

Their camaraderie and valuable contribution to our society will be forever be cherished in our memories. Twenty-three years ago, I became an adopted member of the PMA Class 1967.

Our tradition of service to the people can be attested by our history, remains a source of pride to everyone in this batch. That is why I’m very honored to be considered a ‘Dimasupil’. [applause] Alam mo I will — I would like to insert something here.

You know, I am greatly, greatly proud to be a Class of 1967. [applause] And there will never be a time that I would shame the class. [applause]

Now just to make clear, it is a matter of principle also and honor. I said during the campaign that if any of my family or ako mismo, would be involved in corruption in government, you can be sure, you have my word, I will resign immediately.

Kaya ang gusto ko lang sabihin sa inyo because it’s politics again. It’s a rehash of what they… it is pure garbage. But you know, I’m President. I’ve ordered AMLC and everybody to give information sa ano ang… what’s my worth in this… in terms of pesos in this planet. So hindi ko kayo hiyain.

Walang anak ko o ako mismo, sa totoo lang. I have not signed any voucher even for myself. I only receive a salary and that’s it. I do not accept my allowances. Wala po ako. I avoided it. And it will be so until the end of my term. [applause]

But then I would hit hard against corruption. So I must set the example, because if I don’t, I cannot command obedience. You know our people have endured corruption all throughout the years. I would not like to be a person of you know, into the blame game.

But at least during my time, there will be a respite for the people. And corruption will really be controlled or stopped. ‘Yan ang masiguro ninyo.

We have produced 85 outstanding graduates who spent their military careers protecting the peace and sovereignty of our country.

You know, sisingit na rin ako. Davao City is growing very fast. For the first time, it has hit and it is a record for this country, umabot kami ng nine percent growth rate.

And for you who have been to Davao, nakita naman ninyo, so I do not have really to pull my own chair. But ang ginusto ko sana noon was really to model, at least my humble years during the presidency like Davao.

But alam ho ninyo talaga at lahat na assigned doon sa Mindanao pati sa Davao, alam nila ‘yan, alam ninyo mga mistah na I really am a very — You know, I was a prosecutor, and lalo na itong issue sa droga. It is not acceptable to me.

Four million already as slaves to a chemical to fatten the pockets of the drug lords. I have to do some cleansing. Hindi naman lahat. But the police will have to return to back to the campaign against drugs.

I did not declare an operation, a police operation simply to deal with it. I waged a war and my order to the Armed Forces and to the police was to destroy the apparatus of drugs kasi wala hong mangyari if… the drug lords and they have the shipment, but kung wala lang sanang organization to run it down on the level of street pushing, hindi talaga matatapos.

At kung sasabihin mo lang sa akin na ‘yung mga maliliit lang, ‘yung mga mahirap lang ang namamatay, hindi ho totoo ‘yan. And you know, the western side of the Visayas is quite… is a stable condition.

The Albuera mayor, ‘yung sinasabi nila na sinalvage ng pulis. Well that is the story of the other side. PNP is under my office so I would only believe what the police would tell me.

You cannot force me to accept a theory that it was improbable for this to happen or that it did not occur at all.

Sabi ko, ako, maniwala ako sa sundalo pati sa pulis. Kasi sila ho ang under ko. Hindi ‘yang outsiders or even if you are a neutral witness. You know, that’s not the way how to do it. You cannot say that, alam mo, ang nanay ko kasi p***, ang tatay ko holdaper lang kaya nagkaganito ang buhay ko.

So if you give me that explanation, pati na ‘yung Katoliko, how can I deal with the problem? There are four million and I never realized that until I became the President and had access to all information and it was very shattering to realize that there were already millions of Filipinos afflicted with drug contamination.

Masisira ang bayan ko. Sabi ko nga sa lahat eh, ako simple lang. Mayor lang ako. I’ve never really aspired to be what I am now. And I was not crazy about it. I never hungered for it. Pero kung ang bayan ko na ang nakataya, pasensya na lang. I cannot say na the world will never stop to listen to your sad story.

As equally guilty as the pusher would be the drug lords. Nakita mo naman. We have somehow… but again, there’s a looming danger. And this is mixed with drugs just like the Middle East situation.

I have to warn you that in the coming days, if ISIS could get a foothold here, meron na silang—I don’t know what happened to [Hapilon], the military did a very wonderful thing there.

They bombed the place and were quite good at that, that night. And so there’s a lessening of activity. Pero if the ISIS loses the land base, Middle East, then we will have a problem here because of their long desire to establish a caliphate in Southeast Asia. So that we have to prepare.

And I would need about 20 more, thousand soldiers to deal with the problem and about 10 battalions of… SAF, forces of the police.

We have received… I know that most of you went to the United States to study after you graduated from the Academy, along the way sa career niyo. I know how you feel about it.

But, as usual, there’s always a double talk there and in our relations with other countries, particularly the US, hindi naman sila tumulong. And so in Davao City, it’s really a busy day for me ‘cause the Chinese are coming, business and all, and even the military.

And yesterday, a huge plane [unclear] Russian delegation and they talked to me. And we discussed so many matters and they want to train our soldiers also and initially last night, I committed to send 10 PNP members and 10 members of the Armed Forces.

We have to connect because not only about weapons but the critical mass of information that we can share with them. We cannot just afford to just wait for something out of this generosity. Mahirap naman, it’s always [inaudible]

Sometimes nga, sasabihin sa iyo na, “you know, you’re about to lose your assistance and everything if you don’t behave.” So I took that as a very serious offense against the people.

‘Nong Mayor ako sa Davao, okay lang, because I was not carrying the burden of sovereignty for my country. But when you chastise me international, eh sabi ko, ayaw ko ngang magsalita ng walang guide eh. Kasi lalabas talaga ‘yung—

And, the Russians said that I’m the only one who said something about the President of America and the American policy itself. Eh, pinilit nila ako and every time they say ‘yung assistance, assistance, parang palabas na patay gutom tayo kung wala. Kaya ako talaga pumutok. ‘Yun. Para malaman lang ninyo ano ang sa puso ko.

But I said you have my commitment. This country will be run without any corruption. Kaya nga ‘yung taga-rito, ‘yung BIR na, si Dulay is from Baguio. He was just also occupying the room across ours. Ang nandoon sa isang kwarto si Bebot Bello pati si Dulay, who’s now the BIR.

Even noon, talagang straight ‘yan. ‘Yung magnakaw kami noon ng… magnakaw. Kasi Holy Week walang tao and we would ransack the grocery of the YMCA. Hindi talaga sumasali ‘yang Dulay na ‘yan.

Ang Bebot Bello, medyo kawatan ‘yan. Well kami, kami lahat. Pero si Dulay, wala. Ayaw talaga niya ng kalokohan.

So even after retirement, our members remained active in socio-civic activities, such as donations, drives for the victims of Typhoons Ondoy, Habagat, and Yolanda.

Our deep-rooted love for our country is what drives us to serve. I am confident therefore that our mistahs who are holding key positions in the public and private sectors will deliver what is expected of them and more.

We are now in the process of modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police so that they may have performed their mandates effectively.

I have instructed our law enforcement agencies to be relentlessly pursuing those who would do harm to our people and the country, including criminal organizations, drug syndicates and terrorists.

At no other time, maybe except for President Marcos, na ang suporta ninyo sa Armed Forces pati sa pulis, nandiyan. Walang limit. Sabi ko, everything that you need, you’ll have the priority. Kaya nga by the year’s end, everybody, every soldier would have double the salary that he gets. Doblado sila una. Ang mga sundalo pati pulis.

I did it because you know, just on the side. May father was the governor of Davao when it was only one province. But when he died, pinaghati-hati ni President Marcos, it’s called gerrymandering to give every leader a piece of territory.

So there’s Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental went to Rabat, Davao Sur went to Almendras and Cojuangco, and Davao Norte went to the Floirendos, ‘yung banana. So that’s how Davao was divided.

But alam ko, it was just a… laking pulis talaga ako, pati Philippine Constabulary. So my father was also a JAGO during the time that he was a lawyer in Cebu. So kaya, alam ko ang puso ng sundalo.

Kaya sabi ko, buy the best. And I told COA, I do not follow the style ninyo na lowest bid, lowest bid. That particular phrase is really the source of corruption. Lalo na ‘yung lowest bid. Lalo na… papel lang ‘yan. Lowest bid, ipagbili pa niya o kaya i-subcontract niya. Kaya ganon ang projects natin. But it will not happen during my time. Hindi talaga pwede ‘yan.

And I do not mind people who have the finance, capacity and just group together and may equipments ka, may pera ka. Tapos sasabihin mo to farm out the concession there, ah kalokohan ‘yan. And I’ve always warned the… sabi ko, and ayaw ninyong maniwala o hindi, walang papel na about sa contract ng gobyerno na dumadating sa… ayaw ko.

I do not talk to businessmen. Sabi ko, you talk to the secretary and I do not sign documents and biddings and all… sa iyo ‘yan, huwag ninyong paabutin sa akin pero do it right and do it legally. Or else, maghiwalay-hiwalay tayo because you know, my government is not ours to play with especially to earn more than what is really given to you by law.

So no matter where our journey in life led us the last 50 years, our shared love and sacred duty to serve our motherland will always bond us together as member of the ‘Dimasupil’ Class of 1967.

Let me thank everyone for this unwavering support that you have given me back when I was still mayor of Davao City until my bid for the presidency.

Alam mo, balikan ko ang Davao. I would not have succeeded really kung wala ‘yung military pati pulis. Had I not secured the support of the military, the Armed Forces and the police, I could not have made Davao what it is today. It is a [inaudible] city, it has grown by… it’s a… eh lalo na itong napupunta na there, doing business. And ‘yung medyo na-retire na, baka hindi na kayo makapasyal, let us have another reunion again. Magkita-kita tayo doon.

‘Yung iba nakakalaro ko ng golf, ‘yung iba naman naglalakad lang, istorya na lang but that is life. We… I’m 72 so we have to get old. Baka nga ako siguro ang pinakatanda doon sa klase natin.

Welll anyway, I said as we grow through the years, it would be good for us to see each other, kape-kape tayo or you want to… kung ticket lang naman maraming mag-sponsor niyan. Let us have more reunions in our life because you know, mid-time is getting short and baka mahirapan na tayong to gather in this kind of… Of course our… wala akong maidala kasi ‘yung… I would have wanted also to meet you, my… pamilya ko but Inday is the Mayor tsaka hindi siguro maiwanan ‘yung siyudad and…

By the way I have two wives. When I was invited by mistah, si Joey Casillan, ‘yung babae doon, ‘yung tisay, wala na ‘yun. Hiwalay na kami. Annulled. It’s annulled. And I have a new one, very much younger but God, I… she got pregnant when I was 60 years old. Patay. Kaya galit na galit ang nanay ko sa akin. Sabi niya, “hindi ka maghinto sa ganoong edad mo?” Well, life is always like that but we remain to be friends. Ang problema lang, Elizabeth is suffering.. she has third stage breast cancer.

Ito namang si Lito, nasali sa kalokohan ni [unclear]. That woman is a very hardworking one. She started her donut in Davao 18 years ago and she’s doing good at lahat ng karne ng mall doon sa Davao, lahat, galing sa kanya. And maybe that was… well kasi I’ve been mayor for 23 years, siguro.. puro lahat naman ‘yang may-ari ng mga mall kababata ko eh. So siguro out of tulong besides being the partner of the mayor, she has really… nakakuha ng pera sa [unclear] pero it’s not… it’s her product of 18 years. Eleven na ‘yung ano niya, outlets niya sa donut.

So the bright future we envision we can only be accomplished if we play our role as agents of change in this crucial juncture in our history.

Alam ninyo, if you really want change, if you really want na talagang gusto ninyo ‘yung Pilipinas para sa anak ninyo, especially ‘yung grandchildren, ngayon na.

This is the time that you can come out and talk about what ails government. I assure you. What is just lacking is the assertiveness ng Pilipino. Ayaw kasi magsalita kasi takot sa gobyerno.

Pagka mahingian na, ‘yung lalo matanda na tayo, mga land titles, ‘yung sa Register of Deeds… no specific office, ganoon ‘yan eh and ang mga tao kasi pabalik-balik so that in our government now, if you have a transaction with any department, it could be Defense or Agriculture or whatever, I have only given them one month to act on it, either to approve or disapprove. But they have to let go of the papers or application or whatever.

Sa lower, which is really the source of all the heartaches of the Filipinos. ‘Yang mga direktor hindi nagrereport. Pag nagreport ng umaga, wala na sa hapon. O ilang araw hindi magreport tapos maghintay ‘yung papel at ‘yung iba naman you know, they take advantage, took advantage of the delay at manghingi ng pera.

All you have to do is to be assertive. I have ordered the Immigration and Customs. Eh minsan nga tayong eh mga mayor, si Mayor Domogan o ‘yung mga representante na kilala, we go to Hong Kong and we have an extra luggage because you want to buy clothes. Not really to smuggle so madoble na ‘yang bagahe mo but you are just waved, may salute pa.

Pero ‘yung mga OFW na mga mahirap, kakalkalin pa nila isa-isa. Eh tinitignan ko lang eh. Eh minsan napaaway ako diyan because of the TV na gusto nilang bayaran pa. Sabi ko, “por dios naman kayo.”So I had to introduce myself that I am Mayor Duterte of Davao City. I do not like what I am seeing. Sabi ko talaga sa kanya, pagdating din ng araw — dumating nga ‘yung araw — so pag binuksan ‘yung ano ninyo, palpalin mo ‘yung kamay. Totoo. You create a scene, whatever office, murahin mo. Tutal dadating sa akin ‘yan eh because it would cause an uproar there. Eh di kung gusto mo, sampalin mo. Sabihin mo, “sabi ni Duterte doon sa Baguio.”

Huwag mo akong… do not f— with me. Sabihin mo, ayaw ko ‘yan kay mali ‘yan. All you have to do is you just have to point out. ‘Yang 888. You name the person. You name the official. Si director ng ganon. Wala, humihingi dito ng… And I would call him and I would call you. But I will allow you to slap him twice. One for each ganon pati ganon. Totoo. ‘Yan lang ang—

Alam mo sa totoo lang, ang takot lang talaga ng tao hindi naman takot ng ano, sumbong-sumbong. Ang takot ng tao, no particular position, it’s the ma-embarrass. Kaya pag ka ganon, ipatawag ko na. Just text. Director ganon hanggang ngayon wala ‘yung papel namin, limang–

NEDA. Anak ka ng — NEDA, may application ako for a simple commuter train. ‘Yung simple lang na the old one. Huwag na ‘yung bago. Huwag na yung bullet. Ito yung tsug, tsug, tsug, tsug. P***, na-Presidente na lang ako, ‘yung papel nandiyan pa sa kanila. Kaya NEDA one month. Kay Gina Lopez na patay na tayo nito ngayon. Ang gulo na.

But I will, I will review. There’s such thing as the exhaustion ‘yung mga abogado, exhaustion of administrative remedies. I will… I will not judge her now. Titingnan ko ‘yung, kung mali talaga, eh wala akong magawa, if it’s destructive to the environment.

Baguio is having serious problem with your environment here. Pag ganon, wala akong magawa. But if… medyo, by then we correct it.

We get something like 70 billion a year out of the mining operations in the entire Philippines. So iyan ang– We have to also to take into consideration and that’s really—

But ganon, every left organization is demanding that I continue with the peace talk. Binigay ko na nga lahat eh. I released the Tiamzon spouses. They are the real ideologues dito sa organization para makapunta doon sa– Tapos ano-ano pinagpapatay ‘yung sundalo ko pati pulis. Eh anak ng– L**** kayo. Hindi naman pwede ‘yung ganon.

Well, but bright future we envision can only be accomplished if we all play our role as agents, as I’ve said. Let us work together under a common goal of building a better Philippines and in realizing our inherent greatness as a people.

Alam mo, sa totoo lang, if you want to start a change for our…

‘yung mga anak natin– And you can be sure, anybody can examine the bank accounts [unclear]. Sarili ko pati pamilya ko. Those were the garbage that were dished out during the last elections plus ‘yung lahat ng Duterte na land titles sinali doon.

Malay ko ba ilang kaming Duterte sa buhay na ‘to. Ang buhay… Ang lupa ko umabot na ng Negros pati Pagadian. Eh lahat ng Duterte, nilagay nila akin. Garbage. Pero ganon talaga ang buhay.

But anyway, mistah mag-ano tayo. The last time… pwede pa man kayo mag-trabaho eh. So… ‘yung iba nandiyan, ‘yung iba wala pa. But I… Marami ‘yan sa totoo lang. ‘Yang mga board, it’s about 6,000 signatures.

Hindi ko pa napuno. So if you just want to work about half a day, board lang naman, hindi naman—Lalo na sa inyo, it’s really very fitting. Board lang, because you are actually bored sitting there. You’ll die of boredom. So ‘yan ang inyo, pa-ano na lang.

I’m ready to accept applications from you or your– If I can help you. Basta ito lang ang atin. Everything that we do is legal, it is right, wala tayong problema lahat, and I can be your servant and I said, I can guarantee you that the moment na… seven months pa naman ako, wala naman akong—

But the moment, ma-involve ‘yang mga anak ko o ako, corruption, I give you my word. I will resign immediately.

And if you ask me now, whether I am exceedingly or inordinately proud of getting the presidency, may I be allowed to state for the record: I do not need it during this time of my life.

Tapos na ako sa mga applause, mga adulation. I’ve been there as a congressman, as a mayor, 23 years. Wala na sa akin ‘yan. It does not… no more added value sa akin. Basta ako trabaho at kung makatulong ako sa inyo, mistah natin…

‘Di pa naman tayo talaga inutil. ‘Yun nga…Dapat lang sa inyo mga board, because you’re always bored. I know that you cannot sit there for eight hours. After isang meeting, ‘di okay na ‘yan. Play golf again.

So that is how we try to carve out a way of how to make the exit in this life.

Maraming salamat po. ●