Northern Luzon Command Visit

The President made a visit to the Northern Luzon Command on 11 December 2016 and gave a speech at Camp Servillano Aquino, Bgy. San Miguel, Tarlac City, Tarlac.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

DURING HIS TALK TO THE TROOPS OF NORTHERN LUZON COMMAND (NOLCOM)

Camp General Servillano S. Aquino, Bgy. San Miguel, Tarlac City, Tarlac

December 11, 2016

I’d like to dispense with the reading of the—kasi, nandito, kilala man ninyo lahat. I do not have to repeat it everytime I faced you but it’s getting dark or it is dark already.

I’m here to visit you and first of all, really to greet you a very merry christmas and a happy new year.

Sa panahon ko, sabi ko nga dito sa loob kanina, mga opisyal ninyo na, at no time in the history na may patron kayo, hindi patron na politika. Patron in the sense that I believe in a strong military and a strong police. Until now, Mindanao remains to be a lawless island. And—

Could you give the order of tikas pahinga, sir?

Bakbakan sila hanggang ngayon. And of course, the fight in the tip of the island. Medyo magulo hanggang ngayon. At where we continue to suffer losses, lives of course, mas importante, and the wounded. 

Though gusto kong pumunta na naman, but you know, I’m leaving for Cambodia sa—bukas. I’ve been trying to sort out really why I have to visit these countries.   You know I’m—ayaw ko kung ako lang. Napipilitan lang ako because ang foreign policy natin is to get to know ‘yung ASEAN countries. 

It would maybe someday work to—for our benefit because we have  a cohesiveness at magkaisa tayo dito.  The world is really a troubled one. Nagkakampo-kampo kasi, like started with the EU. Mga Europeans, gusto nila, mag-kampo, tapos, limitado tayo dito, ganun.

They impose so many restrictions, making it impossible really for us to do business that’s quite good. So, ang ginawa natin is tayo rin, ASEAN was born. Medyo kailangan ko raw na makakilala sila and maybe, to return the visits that was made many years ago.

I have to go there to just to renew ang—to Singapore. Tapos pauwi na ako. 

Meron akong mga kausap. I would—I don’t know if I’m—I would tell you this. But ‘yung China is pressing me na nandiyan na ‘yung armas. Tatanggapin ko na. Apurado sila.   Eh marami pa akong gagawin. Sabi ko na lang kay Defense Secretary, sabi ko, puntahan mo sila doon at kunin mo na. I supposed that we can send some general there to receive.    Magkahiyaan na eh. Nandiyan na ‘yung armas. Gusto nila ibigay. So it’s really very easy for us, had it been na pareho ang ano, hindi na tayo kailangan maghihingi pa sa iba because they’re willing to give it. Hindi naman free, but it’s a grant actually. If it’s a grant payable in 25 years, that is really practically giving.    Basta grant, grant, grant, tapos; ang terms of payment another 25 years, may ano extension, bale bigay na ‘yan. So it’s obvious na gusto ng China magbigay sa atin.    Another thing, sabi ko, alam ko na, masakit sa loob ‘yung iba, itong away natin sa NPA, pati ‘yung ceasefire ngayon. Alam mo, presidente ako ninyo, buong bayan. 

You know, we have to—somehow end this war. This has been going on for 45 years. Do you mean to say, another 45 years tayo?   So I have to end somehow this generation. Baka ‘yung iba na matagal na serbisyo, alam ko, masakit sa inyo ‘yan. But you have to understand me and the rest of the Filipino people.

Mas lalo na ang kalaban natin, Pilipino rin. Medyo kailangan, hintuin talaga natin ‘to. This has been dragging on for 45 years.    Sana magkaroon kayo ng pagtingin sa akin. I’m not a communist. I am not— I am just a Filipino, period. I’m just for the—doing it for the sake of my country.    ‘Yung sa Mindanao, talagang tingin ko, lalo na ‘yung Basilan, pati Sulu. It’s either really, we have to fight it out for another long time. I really do not know. But one thing is sure, terrorism is coming in our way, whether we like it or not.    Lalo na ‘yung sa Mindanao, or they pretend or they are already, maybe, ISIS connected na. And remember that matatapos ‘yan sila diyan sa Middle East, if they are driven out of a land base diyan, wala na silang mapuntahan, magpunta ‘yan dito sila atin.   Ideally, it should be Indonesia, Malaysia, Mindanao. Kasi maraming ating mga kapatid na Moro, Muslim. Kasi hindi naman lahat, sympathetic sa gobyerno. The danger is they might, so that’s one thing. Let us just concentrate on one front. 

Mabuti’t na nga’t nahinto na ‘yung—pero may mga ano kami ha, may mga—hindi naman alitan. But I do not like to—kasi recently, I wanted them to start the talks, but gusto nilang 130 na naman ang i-release ko. Sabi ko, “No, I cannot.”

As a matter of fact, I conceded too much too soon. Sabi ko, “hanggang diyan lang ako”. Ngayon, bahala na kung—if you terminate it, eh ‘di terminate it. But I cannot be forever— Nandiyan, pinalabas ko na ‘yung mga leader ninyo. Lahat na. Nandoon na nga sa Norway eh. Sabi ko, “what more do you ask of us?”    Maubusan ako ng baraha niyan. Release ako nang release. So pero dito, it’s holding. Mindanao medyo hirap. I hope, we’d have a peaceful Christmas. Sa Jolo, Basilan, well, I don’t know. But I cannot even project a timeline there where we can have peace. 

I’ll have to continue fighting and might call on you again. And let me tell you now that with gratitude ang Filipino people. I know. I’m on the ground. 

Happy ang Pilipino sa inyo and I’m more than satisfied by your performance.   Sabi ko nga, wala kayong ibang makita na patron except for a few president na hindi naman spoiled, but you get the first every round. 

‘Pag may pera talaga, sabi ko, anything that you ask. Lahat na, sabi ko, okay lang ako nang okay.    It’s because I want you to be in tip-top condition, high morale, at back up kayo ng Commander-in-Chief ninyo, whatever. Basta sa trabaho, akin ‘yan. Basta ang military, police, may ginawa in performance of duty sa trabaho ninyo, eventually, akin ‘yan. 

It’s me that will have to assume all responsibility. That is how I guarantee you, basta mag-trabaho lang kayo. Tapos sundin lang ninyo. 

Huwag naman ‘yung magbabaril kayo na tinalian na, nakakahiya naman ‘yung ganon at saka alam ko, hindi niyo ginagawa ‘yun. Ngayon, sabihin that nakatali na ang tao, nakaluhod. Do not do that. You will destroy the image of the Filipino soldier. We do it with honor always.    Pero ‘yung sabihin niya, kaso, that you maybe sabi na magkakaso-kaso kayo, forget it. I will defend you, just do your duty.

So ngayong Christmas, baka may konti ako. Dadating ‘yan sa mga kampo-kampo siguro ninyo, up to the level ng battalion. Gusto ko, pagbigyan kayo. We have enough savings. There’s not enough for everybody but a little for anybody sa Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

Again, may I greet you, Merry Christmas. And since there is no—agawan lang ito ng employed sa ngayon, vis-à-vis with the NPA. Hayaan mo na lang. ‘Yan ang gusto nila. 

Baka gusto rin nilang malaman na marami nagsu-surrender na, kasi nasanay na sa— nitong lull sa fighting and they like it also.  

So I congratulate you for a job well done.    Maraming salamat po. Magandang gabi. ●