Interview After the PTV Cordillera Inauguration

The media interviews the President after the People’s Television Network Cordillera inauguration in Baguio City on 11 March 2017.

Q: Gaano po kahanda ang gobyerno para sa mga mine workers na maapektuhan dun sa closure ng mga mina? PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, we do not intend to close the mining industry. It’s really nigh impossible because there is a law governing the operations of mining. Pagka may batas, ibig sabihin you allow it. Otherwise, if you want to do away with mining altogether, you have to abrogate the law or modify it to something else.

So ang mangyari niyan is the fait accompli diyan is you have to do the works that Gina wants and she will reconsider her decision. But one thing is very clear. Gina has the passion for it and she wants compliance. She never said that she’s going to close permanently the mining companies.

So ayusin mo lang in accordance with the law. It is not Gina who is imposing the rules and regulations. It’s the law on the environment, the need for the moment to improve everything here.

Ako, I cannot compromise the environment, that’s very clear. So I am with Gina because I want to protect the Filipino people. It’s always public interest. We protect public interest, period.

No matter who gets hurt and that’s what Gina is doing. She’s not really concerned about who owns it, she’s not interested in their money, and she’s just doing it the way a Cabinet member should do. And that is ‘yung trabaho. But I said for those na magtiis-tiis lang kayo but we are ready. I am ready to extend financial help to those who are displaced sa temporary closure.

But I urge the mining companies to do the same. Tutal, yumaman na kayo. Bilyon-bilyon na ang kinita ninyo sa bayan and the bowels of the earth. Wala na kayo, you better release some of your profits in the previous years and give it to the workers. Or maybe mag init ang ulo ni Gina, sabayan ko nalang, sasakay ako then I will close it permanently.

What, what’s the standard? Greed. Huwag mong sabihin kung maghinto lang kayo tapos iaalay niyo ang… yumaman na kayo diyan sa ilang… lalo na ‘yang nandiyan na matagal na. Bakit may maraming mining? Why are people so crazy about mining? Because there is money. And so you earn how much? Billions. It’s about time na ‘yung nakita ninyo, maybe if you have about 20 billion in the banks. Neto mo muna, eh pabitawan mo yung 5. But I can assure you that nobody will die of hunger. All that they have to do is go to the DSWD and get their rasyon o anong…

Pero may pera ako sa pagkain. May pera ako sa pagkain galing sa PAGCOR ‘yun. So I have reserved a little bit because I know what’s forthcoming.

Eventually, ‘yung closure, the closure of the minings would mean dislocation and necessarily mahirapan ang tao to survive. But kung pagkain lang, meron namang DSWD all through out the Philippines. You can always go there and we are ready to extend assistance. I will draw my last reserve sa, ‘yung kinita last year ng PAGCOR.

Q: Yes sir, good evening po. Our Cordillera officials are supportive of your planned shift from federal form of… to federal form of government. Being an advocate of autonomy, Mr. President, may we know your stand on the Cordillera’s renewed quest for autonomy towards federalism, Mr. President. Thank you.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, federalism means equality. So ang mangyari diyan, all the minings there, ang kita-kita mo you just remit a certain amount to the national government. Eh kung kumita ka ng 100, 000 for example, eh di ibigay mo yung 30 for the upkeep of the federal government. You can keep the rest. Use it to improve the livelihood of the people pati mga negosyo.

Iyo, iyo na ‘yan. Kung maghirap kayo diyan, eh look for some enterprising activity like mining, like whatever. You can improve your economy if you have a very enterprising guy at the top of the helm.

Q: Good evening, Sir. Sir, meron pong statement ‘yung media research center na US-based, NGO po. Ang sabi po nila ang nagpopondo raw po sa Human Rights Watch ay si American billionaire George Soros.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Soros. Yes, we know that.

Q: Opo, ngayon po kasabay po ng pagpopondo niya ng Human Rights Watch ay pinopondohan din po niya ‘yung pro-abortion na Planned Parenthood Organization na US-based rin po. Sa palagay niyo po ba may contradiction ‘yung pagbatikos ng HRW sa di umano’y extrajudicial killings under your administration pero at the same time sinusuportahan din po nila yung pro-abortion organization po sa America?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I disagree that the findings of the government is guilty of or liable for extrajudicial killing. I never do that. I am sure because I am willing to get the consequences. Pero ito ang masasabi ko. I don’t know what — I go for the human rights because after all it’s not only in Davao City or in the Philippines or Mindanao. There’s a lot of human rights everywhere but I could — they could be more circumspect and look at their own backyard.

Ayun o. Human rights is not all about killing. Kung patay lang ‘yan, leave it to the funeral authorities to do that. You have to look into the meaning of the death. So if there’s a redeeming factor sa tao, well, let it out na sayang pinatay ‘to. But if you are a criminal, you do nothing tapos sirain mo. Sabi ko, you help destroy the nation. I will really kill you.

Q: Ano po kaya ang motibo ni Mr. George Soros at parang —

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I was about to continue. Alam mo kasi ako, I am one of the proponents of family planning but I hate abortion. Hindi ko talaga pwede iyan. So it becomes an incongruity na patayin mo ‘yung bata sa loob to prevent pregnancy so there is no life at all. But if you kill a living thing there inside, that’s… I agree with you with the conclusion it’s gonna be murder.

So I do not know the state of mind of these guys promoting abortion. And it’s not allowed under our laws and ako I do not favor it. I hate it. But family planning, yes. Prevention of pregnancy. But killing the fetus inside, mahirap iyan. Walang laban ‘yung ano. So kaya nga mabuti talaga, liberal na lang tayo pati mga estudyante. Bigyan mo na lang ng…

You know it runs counter to the grain of biology. Alam mo iyang instinct, ‘yang sex. The need. Instinct iyan hindi mo mapigilan. Kaya ‘yang sa simbahan hindi na madala iyan ng kalendaryo kalendaryo. You cannot postpone your libido next week. Walang… Bakit mo naman maschedule ang libog mo? [laughter] Napaka-g***. You must be stupid really. Think about it.

Eh hindi ibig sabihin, hindi pwede kasi may nag-ano pa so maghintay ka pa ng… Ano ito? Klase na may bagyo, postponement. Alam mo ang Pilipino [inaudible] and ready iyan basta bata pa. Totoo. You are crazy scheduling the sexual instinct of a human being.

Q: Sir bago tayo mag-shift ng topic, I wanna complete your thought muna. Sir, sabi niyo bigyan ninyo na lang ng?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Syempre, kaya nga ‘yung… to prevent.

Q: Condom sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Saka ‘yung sa ano, ‘yung pills. Ano ba naman? Tignan mo ‘yung mga unwanted pregnancies. Tignan mo ‘yung sa… medyo do not be offended girls. I am just bringing out the truth. ‘Yung nandiyan sa labas diyan. Tanungin mo, 99 percent may bata. So they are forced into it because there’s no other way na masuportahan nila ang bata.

So kaya dumarami ‘yang mga commercial sex workers. Tignan ninyo magsurvey kayo. Maski magtanong ka ng 10 out of 10 may bata iyan. Eh bakit ka pa maglabas ng tao sa mundong ito na bigyan mo ng problema? Ilabas mo sa mundo just because you want to enjoy sex.

Then lalabas ang bata na hindi naman sinadya, maglagay ka dito ng isang tao sa mundong ito. Walang tatay, tagilid ang nanay and there is… you know the agony and suffering that he has to undergo in this life?

Di huwag mo na lang pahinugin ang bata. Right at the start, you just prevent pregnancy if it is not really wanted. Pero yung mga couples because they have to raise a family. And the… at the back or deep inside the recesses of our mind is always the perpetuation, the propagation of the race. ‘Yan ang instinct na binigay ng Diyos, kaya marami na tayo dito.

Pero along with it, nagbigay ang Diyos ng libog. Di ang problema kasi yung iba hanggang libog lang. So bakit natin taguin ang problema? Why keep it a secret, the cycle of life? Hindi mo maschedule ang libog, the sexual instinct. Huwag mong ischedule kay hindi iyan pwede maischedule. Biology iyan.

Nakita mo iyang mga aso sila-sila lang. Diyan pa sa harap mo. That’s biology. Lalo na ang tao. But [inaudibles] the Filipinos, huwag naman sobra-sobra na yung mga bata. Ang ayaw ko diyan na naawa ako sa tao na lumabas siya, you know, walang gatas. So the brains have to start malfunction. No nutrients, walang mabuting pagkain, underfed and malnourished.

Tapos sabihin mo, “in thy name, in thy name huwag kasi wala pa sa kalendaryo.” So ang buhay natin regulated sa kalendaryo. Naloko na. Pakamatay na lang ako niyan.

Q: Sir, mag-shift ng konti. Sir, nabalitaan niyo na po ‘yung kay Sandra Cam na incident sa airport where she namedropped si Bong?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: She what?

Q: ‘Yung incident po ng?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah hindi siya pinapasok?

Q: oo sir, medyo may pinagalitan…

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Yung may altercation? Yes.

Q: Sir is it true?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I was told about it but hindi ko nabasa.

Q: But is it true sir na may Cabinet position waiting for her?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, she helped me during the last election. Prangka-pranga ako. Her behavior? Let the public judge it. Ako tumulong siya. Tutulungan ko siya.

Q: So meron sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Utang na loob iyan eh. Yung pagtulong naman niya, she came out really sabi niya magtulong siya sa kampanya and she did campaign. So iyan ang promise ko at tutulungan ko siya. If she would ask me for work, I would give her the work. And it’s not erased just because she was shouting there. That’s her business.

Q: Sir, do we know the position already that we’re–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala pa. Magpatay pa tayo ng Gabinete bago—Kumpleto na ‘yan eh. [laughter]

Q: Magandang gabi, Mr. President. Sir tanong ko lang kasi ‘nong last day, sinabi niyo sa mga local governments na, local government officials sa Mindanao na you need the help–

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi lang… tapos na ‘yan. Hindi lang sa Central Mindanao. Lahat sa Mindanao sinabi ko. Different audiences lang ‘yan sila.

Q: Na kailangan niyo po to topple down terrorism, eh hindi naman po kaila sa ating kaalaman na meron din pong mga local na opisyal ng pamahalaan na involved din o nakikinabang din sa terrorist groups and most specially sa Abu Sayyaf?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: That is why. That’s the problem. Sabihin na ng mga militante, kino-condemn nila ang martial law. O gusto nila? O sige, sabi ko I have given access to everybody. They can come here. Mga militante dito. O sige, kayo ang bahala sa Mindanao. Solve Sulu first. Sige. Ayaw man ninyo ng martial law.

Q: Sir, you might have names of those government officials?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi na kailangan. Basta sinabi ko sa kanila, I called for them. I did not go into specifics. I said that do not coddle or protect the enemies of the state and if it is widespread at binobomba na ‘yang mga eskwelahan ng mga bata, the State University of Marawi and sa Zamboanga, ibang istorya na ‘to.

I can understand if you attack a garrison of the military there, go ahead. Eh kasi magkalaban talaga tayo. But when you start to slaughter the innocent sa… Makukuha talaga ninyong gusto ninyo.

Ako, I said, I do not want it. I am not good at it. Pero huwag ninyong, do not force my hand into it. Sinabi ko ayaw ko ng martial law. Kasi dito, ‘yung mga nagsisigaw na ayaw-ayaw, ‘yun lang naman mga oposisyon.

But they are not into killing people. They are not killing, bombing, you know, government structures and including the schools of the children. Pag ginawa ninyo ‘yan, hindi tayo magkaintindihan.

Kung gusto ninyo, ibigay ko talaga. It’s provided for in the Constitution. I’m warning everybody not to do it. But if you continue the depredations there, killing the innocents… pag ka martial law is martial law.

What you’ll have is not a search warrant or warrant of arrest. Aso. Balik tayo sa aso and I would not hesitate to do it. Wala akong ano… Wala akong… Sabi nila, mag-criticize ka. You can even shout until you die. I cannot do anything for you. Just don’t… Philippines.

Huwag sa panahon ko. Huwag sa panahon ko kasi ayaw ko talaga ‘yang inaapi ‘yung tao. Ayaw ko ‘yung inaapi ang Pilipino, na hindi na makalakad kasi takot, tapos diyan may… Kahapon may babaeng ni-rape, pinatay. May cohort sa… lima lahat, apat. May babae pang dalawa, bangag sa droga ‘yun.

Huwag kayong mag-kumpyansa, kayong mga durugista. Kayong mga drug lords at kayong nagpapasa diyan. Do not ever think that human rights, ‘yung propaganda will save you from the gallows, from entering the mouths of hell.

Huwag ninyong gawain ‘yan sa Pilipino kasi nangako ako. Mas sagrado ang aking oath of office kaysa human rights issue.

After all na mamatay ‘yung tao, gusto ninyong mauna? Good. Ibibigay ko talaga sa inyo. You want to die first? Good. I’ll give you… it’s a matter of choice.

Do not kill children. You will force me into it. Pag nandiyan na ako, sabi ko, ang martial law is walang search warrant, search warrant. Walang warrant of arrest. Tandaan ninyo ‘yan.

At hindi rin ako papayag na i-curtail mo ‘yung powers ko. I will implement martial law the way it is worded and defined in the dictionaries and legal books.

No other interpretations. Pag ka ganoon, I’m warning you. It’s the military who runs the show.

Q: Good evening sir. The PNP has already resumed its Oplan Tokhang operations. What was the reason for your decision to still create the Interagency Anti-illegal Drug Task Force?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Eh kasi nakita mo naman ang nangyari, it was disastrous. But for you, kahit sabihin mo na may pera sila, may pera talaga ‘yung mga g***ng ‘yan.

Otherwise, wala kang transaction. If there is no trafficking, trafficking is buy… buying shabu and selling shabu. Absent that. I cannot control drugs in this—I will do it the way, the best I can, as a lawyer and as a prosecutor and as a congressman. ‘Yun ang experience dala-dala ko sa akin, sa opisina ko ngayon. So I will use them. It was given to me by the Lord.

Ayan, mag-aral ka, mag-abogado ka, mag-mayor ka, mag-congressman ka. Kung anong pinag-aralan mo diyan, gamitin mo para sa kapwa mo tao.

I said, my duty begins and ends with public interest. Wala akong hilig na mag-diktador-diktador. Kaya hindi ako sanay niyan.

At sabi ko, pag-abot ng panahon, I would not even stay a minute longer.

Q: Sir just to clarify, your concern is that the previous mistakes of the PNP would be repeated since they’ve –?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It’s not clear to me what were those mistakes. But maraming namatay along the way. Some sila-sila lang, nagi-intrigahan.

Of course, the intrigues were planted by government. That is why when I became Mayor, hindi naman kaagad kami nag-diretso eh. Pinag-aralan muna namin tapos sabi ko plant intrigues, na ikaw pag ganon, ikaw naman, bata mo pinatay, ang nagpatay ‘yun siya. Ganon.

So ‘yung first round, ‘yun ‘yung mga nag-ubusan sila para walang mapi-piyak. And when we began the operations, I am sure that plenty got killed.

‘Yung iba, ayaw sumuko, lumaban. Sabi ko sa pulis, huwag kang magpakamatay. Sila ang dapat patayin mo, huwag ‘yung taga-gobyerno. But I said again, in the wake of its operations sa drug industry, marami naman akong namamatay na sundalo ko, pati pulis ko. I-ko ko ‘yan kasi ako ang nag-utos eh. Sabihin, bakit si Duterte kino-ko niya? Hindi ko inaangkin ‘yang gobyerno.

I’m telling you the, what I’m telling you is the way it was done. So akin talaga, inuutusan ko eh, inutusan ko. Inutusan ko ganitong trabaho, ganitong guidelines mo. The standard. This is the standard, follow it and I will answer for you.

Wala man akong ano diyan sa liability. Hindi ako nag-ano, pa-ganon-ganon. Kung totoo ‘yan, ‘di sige. Kulong tayo.

Q: Thank you, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Okay. Salamat. ●