The Manila Times 5th Business Forum

The President delivered his keynote address at The Manila Times (TMT) 5th Business Forum on 10 February 2017 held at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City where he received a caricature symbolizing the ‘Man of the Year’ 2016 award.

According to Dr. Dante Ang, Chairman Emeritus of The Manila Times, the 2016 Man of the Year is given to “the leader of the masses who broke the mold of traditional politics and rose to power to set a new direction for the Philippines on the path of graft-free governance and new foreign policy partnerships toward real peace, a society free of illegal drugs, and sustainable prosperity.” He added that the award “goes to the man who has captured the imagination of the Filipino people and set off the dawn of new politics.”

The event follows this year’s theme, “The Philippine Economic Outlook 2017: Peace Toward Sustainable Prosperity.” Talks on economic visions of the country under the current administration emphasized plans and policies for growth considering the Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the Asian region.

Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos ‘Sonny’ Dominguez stressed the objectives of the administration. “The Duterte administration is pushing a broad range of institutional and economic reforms. With the goal not only of achieving high growth but also shaping that growth so that it will become truly inclusive. To achieve that goal, our growth must be investment-led instead of consumption-led, “ he said.

The event was attended by Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the Ambassador of China to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa ‘Imee’ Marcos, and TMT President Dante Francis Ang II.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE DURING THE MANILA TIMES 5TH BUSINESS FORUM

Grand Ballroom, Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City
10 February 2017

Kindly sit down. Thank you.

Let me just maybe give you some vignettes of life. I do not want to pull my own chair but this is how really it started.

Sometime in 1989, there was a jailbreak in the Davao Penal Colony. And 16 prisoners broke out but each one of them had one hostage. It was a Sunday, a visiting day for the wives and the families of prisoners. And something went terribly wrong. And there was this hostage-taking that took one day and a half.

Since I was the regional peace and order council appointed by President Arroyo at that time, I was in the church hearing mass when my security whispered to me that President Corazon Aquino was at the line and she wanted to talk to me. And sabi niya na, “Mayor ano bang nangyayari diyan?”

So I was all along really ignorant of what has happening on the north side of the Davao region. And I said, “Ma’am, pasensya ka na but I do not know what you’re talking about.” And she said that, “Well anong klaseng RPOC ka? There was this hostage talking and they are already on the highway going towards Agusan.”

And so I hurriedly took the Air Force chopper and pumunta ako doon sa ‘ika nga ‘scene of the crime’, SOCO. Bumaba ako sa sasakyan… sa helicopter at lumapit ako doon sa isang jeep that was commanded by the prisoners. And a soldier pointed out a baby and a woman at ‘yung yaya pala ‘yun, it was the auntie, not the mother who was carrying the child inside the prisons.

While they were scampering out, the mother was left behind… the mother was able to get out but the yaya and the child was left behind. So one of the… two of the hostages —-

So and the soldiers said that the baby was already blue. She could not be fed by… breastfed eh. So I went here, I said, “If you would just release the baby and the child, I would gladly volunteer to take their place.”

So in not so many words, we were able to, I was able to convince them to just travel to Davao and I had the humiliation of being the hostage in my own city hall here.

But, turned out everything was fixed and I was about really to kill them all but it was Secretary Dureza, the ever peaceful man, who called Corazon Aquino and the President said, “Mayor Duterte, I want that situation resolved peacefully.” And I said, “Yes, ma’am.”

You know what, the following month, they were detained here not in the North Davao, not in the penal colony. They were facing charges of kidnapping. And so that day, I went there, again offered myself.

But sabi ng mga sundalo, galit sa iyo ‘yan because I promised them heaven and earth and I said “‘nong sa highway kami puntang Agusan, ‘nong sa city hall, ‘i-release na lang ninyo ‘yan and I will work it out that in about a day or two, you will be pardoned.”

Storya lang ‘yang ganon eh. You can promise heaven but it didn’t really materialize because we were going to prosecute them. But one day again, during that visit, kasama ‘yung Australyana.

Kaya that started the, ‘yung election issue. Kasi sabi ko na huwag mong galawin ‘yang… sabiko sa mga pastora na nag-prayer rally doon sa loob, dito, dito sa siyudad ng Davao. And again, the idiots took hostage again. One for each.

And so when they attempted to demand for a transportation again, the chief of police and Secretary Dureza and my chief, I was then a prosecutor, agreed but I did not because I was the Mayor at that time and I overruled them. Sabi ko, “tatapusin na natin ito. Let us finish this here now.”

So there was a shootout and when I saw the child, the layman missionary sa Australia was also killed. ‘Nong nilabas ‘yung katawan, totoo ‘yung sinabi ko, it was really a bit of a slur but it was not intended for the victim.

‘Yung sa galit ko lang, sabi ko, “Look at this son of a b****, nauna pang…” In anger, just to derogate their manhood, sabi ko, “tingnan mo ‘tong mga p****** i**** ‘to. Nauna pa sa magaganda, nahuli pa ‘yung mayor.”

But it was uttered in anger as an insult actually. So I was relating it because somebody was here looking for the footage during the last election. And they were offering that clip there sa RPN, because somebody was piggy back while I was advancing to the side of prison.

An enterprising journalist was also behind me, and so he got everything, what I said. But all in a day’s anger ‘yan. Para hindi ako maunahan, I related the story during the campaign sorties. ‘Cause I knew that if they could get it at the last minute, I would have a hard time, you know, how to temper and how to explain to the public that this is what happened. I would have a hard time explaining.

And that is why I related it. Actually it was a narration of an event that actually happened and a recorded one because lahat naman nandon eh. ABS, GMA. But the one who rode at my back, who was following me closely behind was RPN. So he got all of my epithets, my curses, and my… everything that a foul-mouth would spew when you are angry.

But I’m relating this to you because, alam ng… all the Davaoeños know I do not accept awards except this one ngayon. [laughter and applause] Because maybe, I was… I won’t mention the name of the organization, they offered to award me for that particular incident in my life. And I said, and I made it as a matter of personal and official policy not to accept award all these years.

I could respectfully decline it and I would always say, you do not give me an award or reward for the things that I have to do because I am paid to do that exactly. [applause]

But ngayon kasi, maybe because it’s high time, at least before I go beyond, I should have one award. [laughter] Well, it’s full of adjectives. I would not l want to belabor the points, the economic stories that Sonny… I was already near this hotel but my doctor, Edward Lim, he’s one of the best, he’s based in America, is here, and he is also the doctor of Sonny.

Pinauna ako because of my spinal injury. He got this, he got also this because of a bad spill sa motor but ang problema ko, I got this accident when I was already 68 years old. And so C4 and C7 ang tinamaan talaga.

My wife was a working in the United States for quite a time. She has seen so many spinal operations gone awry and she would have nothing to do with it. So I am perpetually in pain. In a scale, something like 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 because I have this distraction and… Pero yung Fentanyl, the doctors stopped it because he got mad.

I am supposed to cut it into 4 pieces, the one piece that you get from the package. There was a time na ‘yung buong… nilagay ko because more than just the disappearance of pain, you feel that you are on cloud nine. [laughter] para bang everything is okay with the world. Nothing to worry about. Ang ‘di ko naano, nakalimutan ko just before I went to the doctor is kinuha ko yung pain patch, ‘yung marka ng plaster nagpaiwan so sabi niya, “Ano bang nangyari? Ginamit mong buo?”

I said, “Ano, ‘yung one-fourth lang.” Sabi niya, “Huwag mo ako bolahin, nakikita ko.” Pumupula kase ‘yan eh. So he got mad, he said that, “You know, if you insist on doing things you said, you might want to go to another doctor.” So tiniis ko na lang and true to the words of my other doctor, sabi niya, “You just learn to bear with it. Anyway, tataas ‘yung, overtime, ‘yung threshhold mo sa pain and get used to it.”

So now 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 pag minsan mag-abot ng 4. All I need is just to, a few minutes of tulog lang ako ang it gets better. Now I have about 7 but since I saw beautiful ladies, it goes down automatically. It’s almost zero. [laughter] I don’t know if I will still have it before I go out of this.

But really, going to the serious business of my talk. I need not, I said, belabor the points of the economic strides that we have enjoyed to this time and anyway, Sonny is my childhood… talagang magkasama kami kindergarten although I got kicked out of Ateneo mga second year ako but he coasted along.

But he was the consistent valedictorian sa klase namin and a little of an advertisement also, commercial. He was one of the two Davaoeños who ever won the Voice of Democracy sa panahon namin. ‘Yung sponsored ng USAID.

Kaya ako I need not… But I saw Sonny was also copying his speech… parang nakatingin ka doon sa… copying man ‘yan. Maniwala. [laughter] Ako I remember ang general weighted average niya was about 96. I would like to happily report to you that mine was 77 [laughter] and when I transferred to the Cor Jesu, it was run by the Canadian brothers of the Sacred Heart in Davao del Sur.

Dureza was the valedictorian, mga about 94. I made it on time, 75. [laughter] it’s a little bit okay. So I finished my high school in seven years. So that would indicate to you how I mastered the art of skipping classes and just…

Kasi kung may maghamon kasi sa akin na maglayas tayo. “Saan?” “Zamboanga.” “Sige.” Won’t you believe it, before I graduate… nagtatapos ako ng second year, I was already touring Manila. Maglayas-layas ako. Just like Marco Polo. That’s how you got his fame. [laughter]

But you know, wala kasi akong maikwento sa inyong template or my inspiration or my achievement. I was just a prosecutor. I was a trial prosecutor for nine years. And in 1987 I was appointed as OIC vice mayor but the agreement was that after a stint… because they placed the name of my mother, “Soledad Duterte” in the list of persons who’s going to take their oath of office because Cory Aquino was coming.

But at the last minute, my mother balked at it and said she doesn’t want a life of a politic. So ako ‘yung nilagay nila. All they had to do was to replace with a white ink and type “Rodrigo” Duterte rin eh.

And I had not wanted to be a politician I just wanted to be a judg, because the ultimate target ko was to be a Sandiganbayan judge but along the way, I had this ruckus with the OIC Mayor and I found myself running in 1988 as mayor.

And I have been the mayor of this city up to the moment I ran for presidency for 23 years. I was once upon a time a congressman and the vice mayor of my daughter… I do not know if you know her but she is the one who mauled the sheriff in front of the public. So ayun ang…

But Davao then was at the crossroads of the events of our country. Katatapos lang ng martial law and of course the communists were very active. But since sometimes, life is really strange. I come from a poor family and we are just migrants. And when I was a prosecutor actually, I was also at the same time handling the Nationalist Alliance for Justice, Freedom and Democracy and that is now what you would call the “Karapatan.” The modern day Karapatan. Hindi alam ng gobyerno that I was reversing the ideological border. Eh, kasi ang paradigm ko… hindi naman sa ano, it was not an antisocial thing, it was never a class struggle but being poor, I was just really of limited dimensions of what would be an ideal life. So I’m a little bit more on the socialist side.

I was never a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines but I was already, I was one of those few who would go to the mountains and my passion is hunting and so I was also under the privilege who can go inside the forests of Davao region to hunt wild boars and we we’re friends and it did not take long before they also abandoned Davao.

So we’re able to progress I would just have to worry criminals, the plain criminals who would also go on rampage, hold-up, rape pati and drugs.

Alam ko na all I that I could offer was my homegrown talent of persuading people just to go in peace.

And so when Davao was seriously affected with drugs and crime, I was just new but I had this warning to everybody and with no apology. Ganito ‘yan. Sabi ko na, “Go out of my city, do not do drugs, do not rape people, do not kidnap people, because I will kill you.”

“Do not destroy the youth of my city because I will kill you.” and that was the rule of the game. How many died and for what reason, I really do not know.

But when I became President, I already knew that there was a serious disorder sa society because of drugs but it was not until I had the full access of the information and of the intelligence input did I realize that the drug problem had already engulfed my country.

I realized that five years ago before this election, we were already in narco-politics because 40 percent of all the barangay captains of the entire Republic of the Philippines were into drugs.

And a few mayors and a few governors and a few congressmen who gave not really into the business of buy and sell but who gave protection sa mga drug lords.

Kaya noon you could see the drug lords in Mindanao, even in Luzon, they strut around with so many bodyguards, limang army, limang pulis kaya ang mga pulis will never touch them with a 10 for 2.

Kasi nakokompromiso sila. May mga bodyguard, powerful, the ever elite in this country at pag naipit mo all they have to do is to call Malacañan. At sabihin doon sa Presidente… I’m not trying to attribute it to any particular President in our history.

Tatawagan nila at sasabihin lang nila, “You know, Presidente tanggalin mo itong si Colonel, itong si ano because ayaw umano, ma-suplado ayaw sumunod.”

So they call Malacañan, they call Crame at itong mga military, pati mga pulis, they get transferred. So sinong gagalaw sa kanila? Walang lumalapit… no PNP officer in his right mind would really banggain nila itong mga ito.

So I realized that I, we have a very serious problem. We were already a narco-politics and even itong si De Lima for all of her… totoo naman talaga iyon, it’s all true.

For the highest official to be corrupted and she was corrupting everybody diyan sa Justice Department. ‘Yan ang masakit sa atin.

That is the most painful episode of modern day our generation had to endure. So what I did was to issue a severe warning that if you are into drugs, I will kill you.

I just repeated the sloganeering here in Davao and if you destroy the youth of my land, I don’t give a s***, I will kill you.

Tutal ang ginamit ko naman “I, “ wala naman akong sinabing utusan ko ang pulis para patayin ka. I said “I”. So if they want to prosecute me, where did I go wrong?

Kasi ako ‘yung sinabing ako ‘yun papatay mismo eh hindi naman mga pulis pati ‘yung mga army na… All I did was to declare war because ‘yung kay Santiago about three years ago, General Santiago sa PDEA announced to the nation that there were already three million addicts and 92 percent of the barangays were already contaminated with drugs.

It was really a gargantuan, huge and I was really appalled and so sinabi ko, I have to declare war. My orders to the police and the military was to destroy the apparatus.

Now for the bleeding hearts, itong droga organization ito. And even if they have a shipload of drugs kung hindi iyan mababa at walang magpabili it’s not a dangerous thing, just like guns to stay in the warehouse… nobody’s going to use it, hold it. Perfectly alright.

But once it is distributed and fall into the wrong hand, that is the time that our society will suffer. ‘Yan ang problema diyan. Sasabihin nitong mga ‘to, ‘di ko maintindihan, “yung mahihirap, “ eh ‘di yun namang drug lords ang mga mayaman.

Ito ‘yung mahirap ngayon as a matter of fact iyong Maute its dalawang pulis na magkapatid ‘yan sa Lanao. They learned the way of the drugs in Manila and went there and established their own laboratory. When they had the money, they ran for mayor, congressman. Ayan ang problema eh.

Now I tell you guys: Sonny, I’ll ask you. Mag classmate man tayo. At what time in your life did you earn the first million? At what time? How many grandchildren did you already have noong na-bilyonaryo ka at binili mo itong [laughter] Marco Polo.

Totoo. Pareho lang naman tayo noon. But he… actually Sonny had more money in his pocket. when I was a student, all we could afford is a bananacue. ‘Yung kanya, ham and egg pati tuna. [laughter]

Until now, he [unclear] money in his pocket. Kami wala. Bakit wala? Saan ka makahanap diyan o? [looks at his pocket] Panyo, ‘yung perfume sa asawa ko pa. [laughter and applause]

Ito, they just wanna capture shabu first, second and third shipment, bilyonaryo na.

Kaya sasabihin na mga, itong mga anak, anak mahirap. Eh natural. Eh alang-alang namang si Lance pati si anak ni Lucio Tan magpabili diyan ng shabu? Eh di yun talagang andoon sa baba. They are poor. I admit, everybody’s poor anyway. By what right do you have to make it poorer and make them more miserable and in agony?

‘Yan ang hindi nakuha ng mga pari pati ng mga human rights, pati itong tontong Presidente ng — he must be stupid. Itong ex-President ng Colombia, sabi niya, “Duterte is committing the same mistake.”

We cannot never be in the same mistake because I am not stupid, you are. [applause]

Kasi ang Amerika nagbuhos ng bilyon because they were flooding America. All of the supply of cocaine and heroine came from that country. Anong tinuro ng America dito? Except to recommend for my prosecution in the international court of justice, Criminal Court.

Gusto pa ako nagpa-preso, ‘yung tinignan ko ‘yung charter ng International Criminal Court ang mga g*** hindi pala miyembro [laughter]. Stupid. Sila mismo. Why? Because at one time they invaded Panama, a sovereign state, uprooted the President, brought into trial in America to serve time in prison there.

And Bush, who went to Iraq extensively in search for the weapons of mass destruction na wala. That is why they avoided being members of the international court of justice, Criminal Court, ‘yan ang bolahan dito sa mundong ito.

Kaya itong climate change, why was I reluctant? Not because I did not want climate change. But because of the distribution sa ratio. Sabi nila, well .4 ganoon tayo, even our national says that we have to reduce it by 73, mas mataas tayo locally.

But why? Because there are no sanctions. Ngayon pag ang maliit ang Pilipinas you violate the law. They can always ramble on to some other sanctions. Trade, they will cancel your quotas and everything — hindi — they call your debt without any grace period. They can cancel — there are so many sanctions available to them.

Tayong maliit we cannot impose anything but from a simple violation they can always expand it to go into a gamut of so many sanctions. ‘Yan ang hindi nakuha ng Pilipino because of that [unclear]. Pati ‘yang pera walang nakalagay diyan kung sino ang mag-contribute — about 20 billion dollars.

It is not for compensation of the damages of the climate change. It is to improve your mitigation and damage control. It’s not because a—maghintay ka pa. Ngayon sino ang magbigay diyan because the treaty does not mention the country. Simply industrialized country.

You know America just paid it’s dues to the United States kailan lang. ‘Yung utang nila hindi nila binayaran ng matagal. There’s just about five years ago that they updated their accounts with the United Nations.

‘Yan ang sinasabi ko. It’s not because they are brighter than me, but rather because I am a lawyer and I always… hindi ako economists, 75 lang ako diyan wala naman… Okay naman ‘yan. But I am good at criminal law because as I said, that was my favorite subject anyway, and I’ve been a trial lawyer for nine years. So I say things which you do not right away.

Sanctions, madali lang naman ‘yung santions, basahin ninyo. So what would be the other sanctions? Well, it could run into so many things: trade, assistance. Ang ayaw ko diyan, sabi nila, all the rhetoric of Duterte. Son of a —- kung kayo —-

When I was mayor I was already at the receiving end. It’s okay. But when I became President, do not chastise me in public. Because at this time, I’m carrying the sovereignty of the nation.

‘Yung mga… imagine ‘yung mga babae doon tapos State Department, Office of the President pati si Obama. Kaya sinabi ko, “who are you? You go to hell.” Well, bakit mo ako ganunin, and always they say, “you will not receive your assistance, we will cut the aid.” Ay son of b****. Goddammit. You can eat your aid, your assistance.

Gawain mong toilet paper ‘yan put— Bakit? Why do you have to show? Para tayong patay-gutom. Now you go —- look, whenever you make any public statement against the small countries you always tie it up with the aid. We will not die, we will not go hungry because the ambassadors are listening [laughter and applause].

He will help us. We have been good to everybody. We were always a distant relative, an ASEAN distant relative of China because of our foreign policy. Hindi tayo makalapit but during business with China, tayo naman they were using as a — not really fulcrum but rather a leverage.

Sige-sige you assert authority there. So I mean I have this arbitral award. What will I do with it? I’ll go to China? I’ll tell them, “Nasaan si Xi Jinping? I have this award. I want you to go out of Spratly.”

And President Xi Jinping waill say , “But you know, that is our also.” “No, you said go out or we’ll go to war.” “Oh really?” [laughter]

There’ll be a massacre. At ano ang battle ground? Where will be the battle ground? It’s the Philippines and Palawan will be first to melt down.

Tapos gusto nila akong gawaing leverage, they want me to say, “Yeah, you—” I told President Xi Jinping in a bilateral: “Mr. President I am here, I do not want to impose anything on you. I do not want to quarrel with you because I’m just a visitor here. I was invited, so I just want to make friends with you. I did not even ask for anything, wala, delicadeza.”

Sinabi ko I just want to be friendly with you. Sabi nila, “Oh, we’ve always wanted to make friends.” So historically, China kept a distance because we were dovetailing the foreign policy of America. I said, “I’ll go out and make friends with everybody.”

And then they started to — we ordered 23, 000 M-16 to upgrade our—matagal na kasi ‘yung mga baril na ‘yan eh. Loose na ang bore niyan. You know when the bullet goes out of that barrel, may mag-iispin ‘yan eh to make it — it has its own momentum.

Wala na maluwang na, so we ordered. Tapos sabi ng isang senador, “We will not give it. We will not give the shipment to you.” Fine. When I said — China said, “we will give you.” Russia said, “we’ll sell to you. Buy one, take one [laughter]. Bakit ayaw mo? Eh buy one, take one.

You know ganito ‘yan eh, I do not want to talk about arms, especially missiles and everything. Because if they start and China insist that it is theirs, and they are there to stay because they claim it is theirs.

We claim it is ours. The only way to resolve it is to go to war to win. But if we go to war with China, it will be a massacre [inaudible]. The only way is to talk. But I told them straight. “Mr. President there will be a time during my term that we have to talk about the arbitral judgment. But it cannot be now. Let us first be friends so that we can talk in a more civilized, non-hostile attitude.” [applause]

Eh nung mag-umpisa ka na magsalita, nag-aasaran kayo. When you begin to talk and you have this hostility or antagonistic attitude eh di walang mangyari. Para kayong buang. And to think that my grandfather is a Chinese. I’ll have to kill him first or my relatives there, in — who are there. [laughter]. So ‘yun ang…

So who gave us the first rehab which can house 10, 000 addict? China. Chinese businessman. Sila ‘yung nauna. Now itong si Colombia, itong loko-loko na ito. United States spent billions. Why? Because nandoon ‘yung supply. They practically bought every citizen there with money. Kaya nahinto.

Nagyayabang naman itong former President that I have committed the same mistake. That is only possible Mr. Ex-President if I am as stupid as you, I said. But unfortunately I am not. Tapos ang Colombia. How about Mexico now? But then this is public.

So I called President Trump. I said, “Mr. President-elect, this is President Duterte. I would like to congratulate you on your victory as President of the greatest nation on earth.”

“Oh yes, Mr. President. President Duterte, I heard that you have a bad fix with the State Department.”

“Mr. President, it has nothing to do with you.”

“Yeah, you’re right. The gun of a b**** is killing my country. And you have that— We are killing 40, 000 people.”

Sabi ko ‘yung akin 3, 000 lang. [laughter] Ba’t marami nang ingay? Gusto na akong idemanda. Ito namang mga pasunod-sunod para kunwari makinig daw ako sa… pagpunta dito sa Davao ihulog ko iyan diyan sa hagdanan. [laughter] Mas marunong pa.

You know, ang kalaban lang nila doon sa Colombia, ang farmers. Atin dito everybody’s into the business. I would not name the country but everybody is into it. They cook shabu in the old ships na hindi na ginagamit. Then they just throw it with a GPS attached to it.

Kaya marami na diyan sa shores ng Region 1 and 2 and 3 nandiyan. Di kagaya doon planting sila doon. At ang kalaban nila mga taga bukid. Ours interna — China has problem also with drugs. Iba ang situation noon [unclear] Hindi mo mahabol iyan sa international sea.

Pag naluto malapit sa boundary itatapon iyan nila. And in Cotabato, what’s the… extra judicial killing. I have lost 32 of my soldiers, 27 of my policemen. They call it extra judicial killing? Why do they have to die? They can shoot the idiot at the back. Hindi ko nga maintindihan eh. Ours is different and they are more vicious here because marami ang… and in Mindanao, here, whenever they raid shabu, it has to be the army and the police.

They are not facing there in 16s or carbine. Pag-attack nila diyan sa kuta nila and fort, they’re always met with machine gun, M-60. Tag-dalawang machine gun ‘yan, that’s why I suffered so many losses of my soldiers.

I call them my soldiers because that’s the only way that I can you know, establish good rapport with your fighting, is the security forces.

Now, so much for that. Another promise that I gave is that there will be no corruption.

So all that I need from the public, from the smallest guy on the street transacting business and to you guys, is not to give in but you should be assertive.

If you are here and given a permit and you have complied with all the papers, the slightest whiff of suggestion, you create a scene. Mag-drama ka, mag-stilo ka, “p****** i** mo. Bakit ako bibigay sa’yo?

We have complied with all the requirements and papers. Do not f*** with me. Sabi ni Duterte, either barilin kita dito ngayon o sampalin kita. And that I’ll get wind of all of these things.”

In the airport, kaming mga mayor, mga congressman, mga senador, we go out in a jiffy. No… maski we have about a train of luggages, we will just wave, no inspection. At magdating itong, the small OFW, dalawa, tatlo, sige gawin natin lima, kinakalkal pa ‘yun at kinukuha.

Sabi ko sa Customs, pati sa lahat na: Do not do that. There will be no second chances. Zero tolerance ako ngayon sa [unclear]. Just a mere whisper, you’re out. And every department, NEDA, the famous or infamous NEDA. You apply for anything, it takes them forever. One year, two years.

‘Yung aking application, a simple commuter train, until now wala. So I have imposed upon all the departments, Cabinet members: one month. Either you approve it or disapprove it but let the papers out, one month. [applause]

Mga director: 15 days and you have a development, you let them know because if there is a development, conversion whatever, from agricultural to residential, just file your application, they are given 15 days.

Ang mga director mga tamad. Most of them are indolent. I said you have 15 days and if the papers is in your office, you have to husband it around. Keep a tab of how many days it has been there because the longer you sit on it, the temptation of corruption is there.

Local governments, I’m announcing it, I’m going to issue this circular or executive order or whatever. You have three days. In Davao City, you get it three days. Noon sa’kin.

Permit, what? Housing? Engineer? Three days. Huwag na ninyong isali ‘yang bombero. Kasi ‘yung electrical connections, they go to the fire department but before it can be approved, you have to buy a fire extinguisher from the idiot. [laughter]

You want to buy, buy it, turn it on sa mukha niya. [laughter] Sprayan (spray) mo and I will defend you. [applause] I will not allow you to go to prison. Lahat.

You know, I said, I am not, we are all feet of clay. Hindi ako nagmamakalinis, marami akong kasalanan sa buhay. Mas marami pa sa combined ninyo lahat. [laughter] Mga kasalanan ninyo. But ang wala talaga sa akin is the hunger for money.

It’s only when you crave for so many things which you cannot afford. Diyan ang pumapasok. The pressure of the family for better school, more cars, more comfort, well I’m sorry. Kung diyan ka nakakatrabaho ‘yan diyan, you just have to wait another six years. Paalisin mo muna ako sa trabaho ko pero not during my time.

Ni hindi nga ako nakakabili ng medyas. [laughter and applause] So criminality has to go. Basta ako, kung anong binibigay ninyo sa tao, isasauli ko talaga. Pag ini-cremate mo ‘yung biktima mo, I will also cremate you. [laughter] Fair is fair. If you rape a child, kill the child, bigay kita doon sa elepante sa zoo, have you raped there and I’ll cremate you there after.

Kasi itong Pilipino mahirap kausapin eh. Mahirap kausapin, pilosopo. Now I’ll tell you a very strange thing. They say that… itong death penalty, it never provided any relief, either as a deterrence or as a punishment meted out.

You know before the… I’ll show you. [Meron ba kayong… Who’s got my briefing for today? ‘Di ninyo dala?] I’ll give you an astonishing… Kaya huwag kayong — May mga media na credible. Doon na lang kayo sa Manila Times. [applause]

At least si Dante maski gano’n, just before the election, haharapan-harapan tayo. Who were dishing out basura? Kaya ‘yung AMLC, talagang binigwasan ko ‘yan… I had 211 million.

Sabi ko, bakit hindi ninyo binuksan? I was requesting you to tell the public the truth. All that I had was 5, 000 and that was the leftover when I was a congressman kasi binibigyan kaming dollar.

Pag mag-alis kami, inter-parliamentary visit ganon, I’m given — Pag ka… ‘yung 5, 000 ko naging 211. So basura talaga ‘yun. And it was Inquirer and ABS-CBN who did the — O totoo ‘yan.

Huwag na lang kayo mag… Totoo eh. Tsaka you know, reading public ‘to eh. I’m sure they were listening and some of you, hindi bumoto kasi naniwala. Eh mga g*** kayo. [laughter]

Ayan ngayon, I am President. You can — [Is this the one that I got last night? Is this the one that I got last night?]… magkwento lang muna kayo dyan sandali [laughter]

[looks at the briefer]

I don’t think… But I’ll just give it to… sa Manila Times para magamit nila. I… Before the lifting of ‘yung death penalty there were about 186 convicts with penalties ranging from… but mostly death penalty. When it was lifted, it reached 3,100 plus. Nung nandoon pa yung death penalty 186 if I am not mistaken but I am very sure within that kuan.

Nung na-suspend, anak ng jueteng, umabot ng [wala dito. Nasan ‘yung natanggap kong ‘yun? Itong death penalty, about nang 3,000].

But take my word for it actually. Nung andun pa yung death penalty, it’s about 1,087? 187, excuse me. Nung nawala na, an increase of 3,000 tapos sabihin nila hindi deterrent. Ngayong wala ng death penalty 3,000.

Sabi nila na nandoon man ang death penalty wala man nangyari. Hindi kasi ako ang Presidente. Ibalik mo ‘yang ako ang Presidente, gawain kong kurtina ‘yang mga buang diyan sa [unclear]. Bitayin. Asus. Tutal itong pari ayaw man rin magpayag na —

“Heinous crimes increased 3,000 percent.” Galing ito sa Bilibid. After scrapping of death penalty. Bureau of Corrections. Ang nag report pa nga ABS-CBN eh.

“During the Senate deliberations on the bill seeking to restore the death penalty, BuCor, that’s Bureau of the Correctional director Atty. Benjamin delos Santos said there were 189 inmates convicted of heinous crimes before the capital punishment was abolished in 26.”

“Delos santos added that after the death penalty was revoked, this figure rose to 6, 200 inmates, an astonishing 3, 280 percent increase of persons convicted of heinous crimes.” Figures rose from 189 to 6,200 or an increase of 3,280 percent.

Kaya ‘wag kayong maniwala diyan sa mga writer. ‘Yung mga opinyon. Puro basura ‘yan. Pera-pera lang ‘yung mga iba diyan sa totoo lang. Pulitika, whatever. Do not… try to discern newspapers who do nothing. Kasi ‘yang mga newspapers na ‘yan, mga isto — wala ng mabuti ang ginawa sa kapwa tao nila. Nothing could ever be right for them.

Kami, sa totoo lang, kami na bayad ninyo. I am a worker of government. You will never hear me address myself, “I am President Duterte.” I always say, “we are all workers in government and we serve the people.” [applause]

Hindi ako nagpapatawag ng “Presidente.” Look at Sonny when he said, “the President of the Philippines” para ano, andyan lahat, “Mayor Rodrigo Duterte” pero kung kami-kami lang, I told them to call me “Mayor.” Nakokornihan ako diyan sa “Presidente.” P*** ang liit ng sweldo [laughter]

Diba? I give you… There’s an executive order about transparency. Wala akong kinuha except my salary. My salary is 130 plus per month. I have two families to support. [laughter] Kulang. Ang mga anak ko okay na.

Pero ‘yung maghiwalay yung apo ko doon sa unang asawa nila pati itong… may isa akong akong anak na walang ginawa kung hindi mag… Itong Sebastian na ‘to. [laughter]

Dalawa na yung…iba-iba ang… hindi na umuuwi kaya sabi ko, I took advantage of the national exposure one day and I said, “Hoy buang kung nasaan ka ngayon, makinig ka.” [laughter]

Tinanong ko kasi ‘yung anak niya, sabi ko, “Saan papa mo?” “Wala.” Sabi ko, “love mo mama mo, papa mo?” “Hindi, mama lang.”

Kaya ako na— to hear that from the words of, you know, ang apo ko, ako ang nasaktan. Sabi ko, “mag-uwi ka.” Tapos “nandito lang ako sa kabilang bahay.” Hmm. Ngayon na lang.

I share with you my problems also. I have my personal problems. Pero okay naman kami sa pamliya. We’re good. Except that… sabi ko, wala ako allowance, ni piso outside of my salary. Pag nandiyan man sila dito… I do not review your businesses perm — paper.

‘Yung mga contract, ‘yung binibid… MRT… It does not reach my table. I do not want it. Not in Malacañang. Diyan, trabaho lang kayo. Tutal kayo naman ang mag pirma dyan, it’s not the President.

I do not allow may mga papers na follow up-in ninyo di kagaya noon lahat ng mga negosyo na anon a dumadating.

Somebody reviews it then you know, it’s where graft and corruption. Sa akin wala. Appointments and mga national security papers, ‘yun lang.

Wala akong ni review. Tingnan ninyo ‘yung mga application. You can never find there an annotation na “President.” I do not. I do not because I do not like it.

Okay na ako. Okay na. I have enough adulation and clapping of the hands for 23 years. Di ko na kailangan. But I’ve always said there will be no corruption; drugs must be stopped for the sake of the Filipino people. Mine is to preserve the nation and I will do everything and rot in jail if needed to save my country.

Let me just tell you that if you ask me if I am exceedingly happy or if I am inordinately proud of my presidency, being president. I will give you this answer from the bottom of my heart:

I do not need this position at the time of my life. Tandaan mo. Whatever happens, it’s part of destiny, wala akong pera, wala akong makinarya.

If God says that Istay there for one year only, eight months, two years, I get assassinated or mahulog ‘yung eroplano, mas mabuti para makapaghinga na tayo.

Tutal tayong lahat mag-abot man din doon sooner or later. I can only say, “oh, nice to see you again.”

Maraming salamat po. ●