One-on-One Interview of CNN Philippines with the President

President Rodrigo Duterte sat down with CNN Philippines Senior Anchor Pinky Webb for a one on one interview on 30 December 2016.

CNN PHILIPPINES’ ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW

WITH PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

Malacañan Palace

December 29, 2016

PINKY WEBB: Good afternoon from Malacañang and good afternoon to you, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE: Good afternoon. The pleasure of your company.

WEBB: Thank you, sir. You know, I know this is your first sit-down live interview since you assumed the post on June 30.

DUTERTE: Yes, it means to say that you have the priority.

WEBB: We do, sir.

DUTERTE: Even in the number of hours.

WEBB: We have… We thank you for this opportunity. Mr. President, it’s been six months. Kamusta na po kayo? How has the presidency been treating you?

DUTERTE: Well, let me put it this way. If you are asking me if I am happy with the presidency, I’ll give you this answer: I don’t need it at this time of my life.

I’m sorry to say it, but I will work and work and work. But kung ano… Maybe it’s because of age or the grueling trips that you have to make day-to-day, depend on what develops or what evolves around the country.

And so I get to travel a lot. And about the only time –– and the purpose of going around ASEAN countries is because we are hosting the summit next year. And you have to get the feel of what they’d like to present to the ASEAN.

So you have to get into the — ‘yung dibdib ng tao. So, what do you want us to present or make a representation of what particular matter that are subject closest to your hearts?

And… That’s why I have to travel. But I hate travelling; you might as well know that.

I hate to travel but I have to go there because it’s my duty being the host country, probably around towards the end of November next year, God willing, hopefully.

WEBB: Sir, can I clarify that? Are you unhappy being President? Ganon ho ba ‘yun?

DUTERTE: No, if it means I’m extra happy, ‘yung a presidency, isa ka lang eh. But ‘yung sabihin ng mga tao that I am eagerly happy, I said, I don’t need it at this time of my life.

But since I ran for the position and I won, so I have to honor the contract.

Pero ‘yung… Sabihin na gusto akong…I’m…They are trying to communicate with the guys na gusto akong paalisin, just to oust. You know, kaya sabi ko, kung talagang tatanungin mo ako kung atat na atat ba ako dito? Do not mess up with me because I mean, I won’t —

WEBB: You are ready to let it go, you’ve always said that.

DUTERTE: No, but ‘yung sabihin mo to oust, oust. I will… probably, I’ll give you a good fight. You’ll get a bloody nose sigurado ‘yan.

WEBB: Sir, I wanted to…That was obviously part of my questions a little later on but since you brought it up, sir. These allegations supposed to be of ousting the President, how seriously do you take them? Very recently, meron supposed to be, Mr. President, this blueprint from a former ambassador. Are these something, number one, you believe, and how seriously do you take them?

DUTERTE: In the matter of the credible news, kind of maybe, you may have some an inkling of how this guy operates, because most of the ambassadors of the United States, but not all, are not really professional ambassadors.

Iyong mga career at the same time, they do spying. They are really connected with the CIA. Ganon ‘yan eh.

The ambassador of a country is the number one spy, but there are ambassadors of the United States, ‘yung forte nila is really to undermine government.

That’s what happened with Bolivia. He was expelled because he was undermining the native President there. And they say that — there’s a good article, Time Magazine, I think. And it has a good analysis of how the elite of that country hates that native President.

And Goldberg started to dig under to erode the foundation of the presidency and he was expelled persona non grata.

Ako naman, this is my message to the United States and to everybody, to those out there on the streets, and for those who are demanding my resignation: you know, I feel that I have to honor the contract with the people.

Pero kung sabihin mo na tatakutin mo ako, or that you’d be happy to see me out, I view life as a matter of destiny. All of what happens here in this universe.

So with little money and no machinery at all, I won the presidency. So to me it’s… There has to be something in there. So I asked somebody, I said, maybe there’s a message from you, from God, or from you to whatever gusto mo i-communicate, from you to whom.

Sabi ko, well, sabi ko, baka gusto siguro talaga ng Diyos na ilagay ako dito. So it’s destiny. So if I get to survive six months and one day, that’s part of my destiny. That is your presidency in this planet.

If I am still around next year to host the ASEAN, that’s my destiny. Sabi ko, kung anong ibigay ng Panginoong Diyos sa akin, tatanggapin ko ‘yan. Pero kung sabihin mo ako, you messed up with me, wala naman akong masabi. But I could give you a bloody nose really.

WEBB: So may I get an answer on this, sir. Do you take these threats seriously? The threats to oust you.

DUTERTE: In the sense that I maybe looking at it as a possibility, yes. But kung sabihin mo, fear of being ousted, and that would be I said, well, this is how long God give me in this presidency.

But in return, sabi ko, you should also be prepared. So I said, I’ll give you the time of the day, and… I can do it if I want to.

So what you can — ‘yung sa America, ‘yung gusto nila akong paalisin, and some others say it’s because of the elite and anong ano dito, ‘yung… I said I do not really give a [inaudible] about what you want me to be.

Basta ako may trabaho and I know that — ano ako eh. I’m part of the establishment or I was or I am. I’ve been mayor for 23 years in Davao. So… I come in from the cold, coming in from the cold ako. But I’m part of that Republic of the Philippines.

So hindi… Ang tao sa akin except for those who believed in me, is ‘yung — those who heard my message and that’s the only thing that you can really attribute to my victory.

It was the message that I was carrying and it was corruption in government, drugs which is really a virulent thing now and it’s just too bad that I cannot show to the people and all of you the chart of how things are going.

But most of the big time are really still very big and — always maybe undermining also government o talagang we have not shown enough to them.

Pero nakita mo naman sa San Juan, isang tonelada. And that would give you an idea, the activity of the drug system in this country.

WEBB: Well, that is your campaign promise, Mr. President. Sabi niyo po noong kampanya, three to six months. In September, three months after you assumed the post, sabi mo, I need a little extension because you didn’t know how grave the problem was.

DUTERTE: Because I was just mayor dealing with a problem of a small town city. In my town, in my city, wala masyadong drugs. I mean Davao is comfortable where it is now. Nakakalakad ‘yung mga tao nang gusto nila at wala masyadong krimen kasi walang mga tao na nasa droga.

So it’s a bit peaceful. But when I said, well, how naive of me rather. Kasi ‘yung sinasabi ko, I’ll finish it in six months, I was looking at the Philippines, ang akala ko ganon lang.

WEBB: Davao?

DUTERTE: Shabu dito, shabu doon konti. But I didn’t know that when I became the President, I started to squeeze everybody, so you saw the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, not counting the original figure given by General Santiago, PDEA before, pegging it at three million.

Itong akin, as I have said by the end of the year, I would have hit a million. So you add another to Santiago’s original number, you add mine, which is about one million, so there are four million addicts.

It is no joke. It is not just a problem that you can ignore or give just about five, ten minutes attention everyday. You have to worry about the repercussions.

Drugs, you know, that’s why I kill you. Why? Because you enslave the people. With four million, they are really slaves to you by way of a chemical, an agent. Parang alipin mo siya sa drugs, ahente ikaw, tapos dysfunctional family, ruined lives, hiwalay, then crime.

And you just say how many? 5,000? 10,000 people? You don’t even sure if it were really police encounter or not. You don’t even bother to…And that’s what happened here because America seems to have adopted a theory of the yellow. Kasi ‘yung yellow iyon na ‘yung ang campaign…

It was not an issue against me, by the way. It became an issue when until the last moment, the last four days, lumabas na ‘yung figure about Central Bank na 4 point. Kaya ako galit sa Central Bank kung meron akong pera but hindi niya…Sabagay you have to get somebody — somebody else’s permission.

Alam ko na rin ngayon at I — pero ang sabi ko ikaw alam ninyo. Nandiyan ‘yan money laundering. Eh kung may 211 million ako. Kung walang nag-tanong eh di ibinigay na sana ninyo sa kanila para totoo. I was just hoping that you’d be truthful to your work.

WEBB: Okay, Mr. President, I’d like to go back to what I was saying, still on the war on drugs. Sabi niyo po in September, you need an extension, fair. Because you said you didn’t know na grabe pala ‘yung sitwasyon ng droga sa Pilipinas. That should end sometime in March. Do you feel that by March, number one, sir, you will solve the drug problem? What is your assessment by March?

DUTERTE: No, ito na ganito ngayon. You better listen very carefully, this is what’s happening to the country.

We are facing a terrorism threat. It will be a compounded issue if itong mga Maute that’s rampaging now in Lanao… Well, of course, ‘yung MI, MN are ready to talk to us but these are the terrorists, I said, is being driven by drugs.

They want money for their uprising to sustain it and they are purling drugs. So, we have a terrorism which is being fed with drugs in Mindanao and in the Visayas. Ang problema nito pati dito sa Luzon na. So we are trying to figure out. That’s why I was late. I was being briefed by the military and police. Napakalawak talaga and it’s…The problem is it’s connected with the international operation. It’s everywhere.

WEBB: But how would you assess your success on your war on drugs as of now, sir?

DUTERTE: I can only relate it with the crime dip. Less crime now, less rape, holdups sa bus, sasakyan, naglalakad ka. So that will give you actually a visual thing of the result of the drug war on the street level.

WEBB: So does that mean you are satisfied?

DUTERTE: No, until the last pusher is out of the street and I’d be very frank with you and to the country: Until the last drug lord is killed, this campaign will continue to the very last day of my term.

WEBB: Mr. President, the PNP came out with data, 6,000 have been killed so far in six months, 2,100 killed in police operations, 4,000, sir, vigilante style, summary executions. Sir, doon sa 4,000, would that be a cause for concern para po sa inyo? DUTERTE: No, I am not concerned at all. It’s either you really do something about the problem or not. But the only way to do it is to deal with reality.

Alam mo sabi nila, bakit noong hindi pa panahon ni Duterte, wala naman masyadong patayan? Eh kasi noon ho, sinabi ko, lahat ng mga bigtime, mga mayor, nasa droga with their bodyguards, provided by the military and the police and everybody was into it. So, walang masyadong resulta ang pulis na legitimate operations because they were shying away from it because it — more or less, dito sa Pilipinas, kapag kinalaban mo ang mayor, tatawag ‘yan ng Malacañan. Sabihin ng Presidente… I am not attributing it to anybody in particular. Magtawag lang ‘yan ganun dito o, tatawag, ‘Bakit mo ginalaw si ano eh nagrereklamo. Eh lider ko ‘yan eh.’ Ang saving grace ko in this wala akong utang na loob ni kanino except for about three or four persons.

WEBB: Sino po ‘yon?

DUTERTE: Imee. And because I promise to bury Marcos during the campaign period in the debates. I was asked point blank, lima kami, sino? Ako lang, si Binay, ‘yung tatlo “no”. That was my campaign promise.

Ang sabi ko itong drugs masama ito. Patayan tayo dito. It’s going to be bloody. In my speeches, ‘come and join me because it will be a rocky road ahead’.

What does that tell you? Maybe it’s an idiom or…Pero to a plain Filipino, alam mo ‘yung rocky road. When nasa kampanya sinabi ko patayan ito because alam ko ang problema.

WEBB: Sir, balikan ko po ‘yung sinabi ninyong meron kayong tatlo o apat na may utang na loob, sabi niyo po?

DUTERTE: Oo.

WEBB: Okay, you mentioned one, Governor Imee. Sino pa po ‘yung dalawa or tatlo?

DUTERTE: Abet, and, of course, well, tatlo, si Governor Zubiri. Iyong nag-open talaga. Iyong iba marami pero tapos ‘yung — nakalimutan ko ‘yung isa.

WEBB: Sige, sir, mamaya balikan po natin.

DUTERTE: Governor siya but I forgot the province anong…

WEBB: Baka po maalala ni Bong.

DUTERTE: The province starts with…The name of the province starts with “A”.

WEBB: Okay, sabi po ni Ina.

DUTERTE: Ano?

WEBB: Maybe, balikan po natin. I just wanted to ask this important question, Mr. President, doon sa war on drugs. What do you say to those who they lost their lives of their family members, their kin, their relatives and they claim that they are innocent? What do you say to those people, sir?

DUTERTE: Well, it’s a claim. I can claim also that…You know, if you can give me a lie, I could make it 10 times better, sa akin. Alam ko kasi lumalaban talaga eh kasi karamihan ng nasa — they are committing crimes that they are ready to fight it out because constant use of shabu even for one year would shrink the brain. Pagka-shrunk na ang brain, do not expect a normal behavior.

WEBB: Sir, are you saying that no innocent life was lost in this war on drugs?

DUTERTE: No, there were. I’d be lying. Marami ang…Aba ‘yung tinamaan sa crossfire lang pati mga bata eh.

WEBB: Collateral damage.

DUTERTE: Well, of course, part of the criminal law natin is that, if there’s a fight between the security forces or ‘yung peace officers, kapag tinamaan ka, tabla ka. I mean, government is liable maybe civilly, but criminal, wala.

WEBB: But what do you say to them? Is there anything you want to say to them, sir?

DUTERTE: Gusto ninyong, ito…Gusto ninyong mahinto ang patayan sa Pilipinas? Foreigners and mga natives, ihinto niyo ang droga. You stop this and everything will be okay. We can concentrate on other things of governance.

WEBB: Mr. President one of your staunch critics would be Senator Leila de Lima. What is the end goal? Is the Senator someone you want to see behind bars?

DUTERTE: May problema siya. And I do not want to add to her worst of the day. May maisip pa siya na kung ano idadag ko. Sabi ko noon, na may malaking problema ka. Eh ‘yon lang. Kasi pareho kaming prosecutor eh.

Eh ako talaga nag-umpisa ako doon sa ibaba. I am a trial prosecutor for 10 years. Alam ko ang laro. Pati yung lumalaban. Kapag hinuli mo kasi ang governor, mayor noon, lalaban ‘yan, magkagiyera kayo. Ang pulis takot.

Dito sa akin, walang pulitiko ang magsabi sa akin dito na — bu-bullshitin kita. Governor ka magsabi ka sa akin, ‘Mayor, ito bata ko ito’. ‘E gusto mo sipain kita diyan, puntahan kita?’

Kaya it was, maybe it is God’s way of doing it. Wala akong nakuha. Wala nga akong barangay captain ni isa dito sa Maynila o maski sa ‘yung kapitbahay mo, sa neighborhood. Totoo.

WEBB: Yes I know, sir. We know that. No one really supported you during the campaign.

DUTERTE: So wala akong…Walang governor o military who would have the gall to say that…Sabihin ko sa kanila, ‘alam mo, wala akong utang na loob sa iyo at huwag mong…’ Hindi ako ganun.

WEBB: So, sir, ‘yung sagot ninyo po doon kay Senator Leila de Lima? Would you care to answer that? Ano ho ‘yung end goal? Saan ho kaya ito pupunta? And is… Do you want to see her behind bars?

DUTERTE: You know, she has the denial. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth to be uttering her. Ito ‘yan siya. Ilang testigo siya? Not even one nagsabi na hindi totoo ‘yan. It started na — nagkalat na.

So… Tapos nangyari… Saan ka makakita ng Muntinlupa na parang… Hindi ka na matakot na makulong ‘yan. May night club, may babae, may inom. Mahilig rin ako magtikang-kang ng mga mga baril-baril diyan.

O ‘di happy na ako. Pwede kang magbili ng mga libro. I only need a lampshade and a book and I’m through for the night. Daytime, I’ll sleep. So walang problema. Kung ganun lang naman ang presuhan, so…

So siya ngayon ang sabi ko, kung ganun ang nangyari sa — noon pa, and I had an occasion to said, sabi ko, ‘Senator, may problema ka. You better…’ And that was about eight months when I testi — eight months after, when I testified in the Senate, remember? About the rice smuggling. I was pictured to be a ruffian because of my mouth. Ganun talaga ko so take it or leave it ako diyan. Kasi sa kampanya talagang halos isangkaterbang mura ang — lalo na kung if you are in a impassioned speech. Pero at least ginawa ko.

WEBB: Okay.

DUTERTE: Walang corruption. Corruption, uupakan talaga kita. And even my two fraternity brothers inupakan ko.

WEBB: Yes, sir.

DUTERTE: Okay. Drugs. Even if I. Ang tawag diyan ay it’s not — it’s a miscalculation.

WEBB: Yeah.

DUTERTE: I am guilty of that. Because I never realized how it was or how it is until I — naupo ako dito.

Then I told you, I reduce criminality. Then sabi ko, we’ll just have to do for our economy. I’d been to China. I’d been to the…And mind you, to all and sundry, ano po, we never discussed, in fairness to China, and — we never discussed military alliances. It’s all about drugs, how they can help me and how to improve the economy.

WEBB: Business opportunities.

DUTERTE: Wala, ‘yan lang. And then because of these things. Sabi ko nga, Pinky, what an irony in life.

Droga, you are flooding my country, and you are killing the next generation. You will be depriving this country of the next generation.

Kaya ang Amerika, noon — because Panama was the source of all drugs in the United States. Not only killed soldiers and people there, they invaded the country, uprooted the President, si Noriega, shanghaied him to the United States to face trial and placed behind bars in the country not his. Iyan lang sana ang gusto kong sabihin sa Amerika.

WEBB: And, sir, you are getting, you know, some criticisms on your war on drugs. You know, various organizations already criticizing you on this. The latest would be this, sir, kasi mahaba pong usapan ‘yan. The United Nations Commissioner

for Human Rights wants you investigated on your admission of killings. Let me just name a few of what you said, sir. Sabi niyo po, ‘in Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show the guys I can do what you can’t you? Sinabi ninyo po sa BBC, ‘I killed about three of them, I do not know how many bullets actually went inside their bodies.’ Sinabi niyo din po very recently that, ‘I tossed the kidnapper off a helicopter.’

DUTERTE: That was the Tulfo’s theory. Kay Tulfo ‘yan eh, hindi naman akin ‘yan.

WEBB: Pero…

DUTERTE: Iyong dalawa totoo ‘yan. Now, for the information of itong mga Amerikano, and the bleeding hearts, it was really an encounter. I relayed to them exactly ang problema ang nagpi-pick up — ewan ko kung bakit, even your…

Bakit ninyo i-quote, I said, ‘it was an encounter. They kidnapped a Chinese girl in the downtown mismo doon sa Davao…’ And that — those were the troubled days. Noong mayor ako sabi ko, ‘stop it.’ Okay? So, nag-kidnap sila. Tapos two months after they sent feelers to return the hostage in consideration for two million.

On that day, dumaan sila doon sa — where I was positioned. Noong dumaan na sila, umakyat sila sa bahay, ipinaluto pa nila yung…Doktora na ‘yung bata ngayon. Doktora na ngayon. May asawa na. Kumain sila doon. But may mga pulis ako sa loob ng… Sabihin mo lang sa akin kung magbaba na para makaprepare…But we were not expecting na magdaan uli, magbalik.

Hindi ginagawa ng military o pati ano ‘yan eh. Pero eto naman mga — I think one of them was a soldier — dumaan tapos bumalik.

So pagbalik, you know, paglabas ng — pinara namin, tapos the moment nakita namin ‘yung Carbine, M2, baril ‘yan. Gawa ng Amerikano, World War II vintage. Noong lumabas ‘yung sa bintana — kasi eh kailangan mo i-surrender eh di pareho, you have to arrest. Lumaban. Paglabas ‘nung ano, putukan na. Bakit maghihintay pa ba ako?

Ang Amerikano kasi when I killed… Akala rin ng mga ulol. Sabi ko, how stupid can you get? I’m a lawyer and a mayor. Would you think that I would admit that I murdered somebody sitting down with their hands tied at their back? Talagang, it was known in Davao. That’s why I said, I got my 23 years because I returned peace to Davao. Sabi ko sinong gustong sumunod?

WEBB: So, sir, ‘yung sinabi pong mula sa helicopter na kidnapper na?

DUTERTE: Kay Tulfo ‘yun.

WEBB: Is that true or is that not true?

DUTERTE: Kay Tulfo, no. Wala namang helicopter na ambulansya.

WEBB: So, ano po?

DUTERTE: Hindi ko nagamit ‘yan.

WEBB: Okay, the question is, sir, because of what you said, sabi nga po ng United Nations Commissioner on Human Rights, you must, you should be investigated…

DUTERTE: You are joking. You are joking. You cannot investigate itong mga ito because this is — law and order ito. You can only ‘yung mga religious, persecution, ‘yung mga ganun.

But come on guys, you should know better. I am sure that you have lawyers. But if you have not stopped even tinkering about, you don’t know what…When I became mayor I said, ‘Do not destroy my city because I will kill you. Do not destroy the young, you shabu dealer, because you will deprive us of the next generation.’ And so, kapag ginawa mo ‘yan, my orders talaga is to kill.

Now, let me ask the Human Rights, why did you not investigate the United States, when it invaded Panama on an issue of drugs, ngayon Mexico na. So they had to go there killed so many soldiers in a war you declared unilateral because of drugs.

And then you are a silly guy here from the… Kaya namumura ko itong mga… And this idiot, you are talking about a story which I related and I told everything and here you are trying to pin me down but because I killed… And you always use the word — the word “suspect”. They were not suspects, they were criminals who were fighting us and I am a law and order guy maybe the reason why is that because I am a prosecutor.

WEBB: Mr. President, the Commission on Human Rights is saying that they are looking into a team — a team maybe looking at your statement and investigate?

DUTERTE: They’ll go nowhere because it is true. You have to go…Huwag ka nang magtimtim. Pumunta ka doon because that was event was covered by everybody including your former boss.

Nandoon sila lahat. And you know the guys. Do you know the team of Davao? Alam mo ‘yung mga…You know, ‘yung sa — if I have to mention names, ‘yung mga sa ABS girls ninyo kilala mo man lahat, they were there because it was really a public notice na sa pulis pati sa media.

You know, media gets to be, ‘o ito patay ito, sigurado.’ And so it was really bang, bang, bang New Year. And everybody was looking almost all of the eyes of the public were doing that.

WEBB: Pero, Mr. President, meron ding…

DUTERTE: Alam mo kasi, hindi teka may isa pa…

WEBB: Sorry po.

DUTERTE: Nilalaro ko kayo. Mahilig talaga ako ganun. Alam ng team ninyo mahilig ako magbitaw ng kalokohan. When I said, for example, magdasal ako sa… Akala ko…Sabi ko, nagsabi ng Diyos sa akin…

WEBB: Ano po ‘yon?

DUTERTE: Gagastos ng panahon magsusulat, criticize me for something. Sabi ko, istorya man lang ‘yan. Naniniwala pala kayo. Sino ba namang…

WEBB: Actually, that’s one of the — one of the question we wanted to ask you and it even came from our netizens. Kailan daw po namin malalaman pag ang sinasabi niyo ay totoo at kung kailan po namin malalaman kung hindi po namin dapat paniwalaan?

DUTERTE: The way I… Look at my eyes. Look at my range. Kung magsabi, ‘Mayor, ganito…’ Pumutok kagabi sa Leyte. Tapos papunta ako dito. Doon pa lang medyo paglabas ko kasi marami ngang sugatan then I have to supposed to go back to Davao to spend the New Year there. I have to make a U — magde-detour na naman ako bukas because I have to visit the guys there.

A lot of them wounded I don’t know how many are serious. But these are things I said when you are mayor, it gives you a very grueling day. And I’ve been doing it kasi, Pinky, for the last…Well, I was a Congressman once, it was a very subdued job. But when I was the vice mayor of my daughter, I was still carrying the day for her. Kasi ano ba ‘di naman makalabas. When I was mayor…

But look at the crime rate…Tingnan mo ‘yung crime rate noon. Tingnan mo na before I really was inaugurated here. Tingnan mo ‘yung crime rate at tingnan mo ngayon. So what’s my purpose? My purpose is really to give order. Kung ayaw ninyo ng law and order — order sa ating society.

WEBB: Okay. I’m gonna have to move on to another subject, sir. Nag-shout out ho kami sa mga nanonood po sa amin sa CNN Philippines we asked them this question. Ano po ang gusto ninyong tanungin. “If there is one question you can ask the President what would it be?” We’d like to read some of them kasi they took the time out, sir, para sabihin po, makarating po ito sa inyo at kami lang naman po ‘yung tulay. Number one, Kate Santos, ang tanong po niya, “When can he sign the maternity bill that’s from 60 days to 100 days?”

DUTERTE: I’m just waiting for the papers to…Pati ‘yung ano, we are talking about the endo now because there seems to be a ruckus there because ‘yung undersecretary does not like it and Secretary Bello was…Iyong together with ‘yung ano…

I agree that you need a long period of rest sa maternity leave. Gusto ko nga isang taon eh. You know why? Because ako hindi ako nagtatanggap sa trabaho. It’s a public knowledge.

WEBB: Kapag?

DUTERTE: ‘Pag ka sabi ko, anak — because I want the baby to be breastfed. May pulis na-assign sa akin, totoo ito ha. But hindi naman niya ako dinadaya kasi ako mismo ang nagsabi taga-rito. Taga ano? Taga-rito. Kakaanak lang sabi ko, ‘bakit ka nandito?’ Sabi, ‘Sir, kailangan na mag-report.’ Sabi ko, ‘Maniwala ka diyan sa commander mo. Bumalik ka sa inyo. And you come here…I-breastfeed mo…’ ‘Sir, traffic.’ Sabi ko…If you cannot make it for the day, forget it. Report the following day but go home and — stay late sa bahay at pa-anuhin mo muna ‘yung bata because kasi kailangan niya sa immune system niya at ‘yung over all.

WEBB: For the health of the mother as well. Mr. President from Jet Teron: “What is the status of the Yolanda fund scandal? Your plans with those involved such PNoy, Roxas, Abad? And what about the SAF 44, sir?

DUTERTE: Iniimbestiga pa nila ‘no. Iyong kalalabas lang ‘yung bago. You know it does not take you too much of your time if you just ponder on it and…But you need to get accountants and everything, pati ‘yung sa money laundering. They are still winding up marami ang…

If you… Because if you intend to file a case. Sabi ko nga sa kanila kanina then get the lawyers of the Justice department. So I ordered the guy ‘yung parang director general ngayon ng… Sabi ko send about three or four — more accountants and lawyers, kulang eh. To build a case to get a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.

You create a doubt. Batting average I would say for a prosecutor to get a conviction? It’s about 30, 70 in favor for an acquittal. Why? What would it be? Something like this. ‘Is this your affidavit?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘And was there a lawyer?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Who was the lawyer?’ ‘Sa PAO ho.’ S’inabi nag-usap ba kayo?’ ‘Wala. Basta sinabi niya sa PAO, binasa niya. Sinabi niya totoo ba ito? Sabi, totoo.’ ‘Ano pang sinabi niya?’ ‘Wala. Tapos tumalikod siya.’ ‘Sinabi ba niya na makukulong ka?’ ‘Hindi.’ ‘Your honor this is fit for the garbage.’ Ganoon lang ‘yan eh.

WEBB: Okay, Mr. President, from Mike Pablo: “When will we having start a national ID system?

DUTERTE: Alam mo, it was…As far as I can remember, it was President Marcos and then subsequently renewed by — their desire to have a national ID.

Alam mo ang the strongest galing sa mga left, kasi nga ma-identify sila ganun-ganun. But actually ‘yung ID sana system. Eh tapos pagdating mo sa bangko kailangan ka ng, ‘o ID mo’. Eh kung pumayag lang kayo at wala naman ako interest na paghuhulihin kayo. Ang sinabi ko nga for all MI, MN, may I just say it in passing na lahat kayong mga whatever huwag lang kriminal, huwag lang kayong ‘yung hinahanap ng pulis sa in connection with drugs. You’re a rebel of sorts, NPA, whatever command, you go down, spend time with your family New Year’s day, no arrest. I told the military and the police, walang aresto.

Kayong mga Muslim na MI, MN except the Maute because terrorist group ‘yan. You can mix it up and you can go even go to the camps. I would urge the camp commanders to invite the rebels for — to break bread with them on New Year’s day. Tawagin nalang ninyo ‘yung mga NPA diyan sa bukid. Sabi ko na doon magkain.

Kung hindi makadating ang pera ko in time pero ATM naman siguro ‘yan. Mag-release ako ng konting ano, all camps. Kaya I have to go home with because I have to work again, to work on this na — the camp commanders lahat sa bukid kailangan mayaya nila ng…I said to break bread with them. It could be dinner or lunch. Tapos sabihin mo na lang, go home after this and we’ll fight early next year kung walang mangyari. Kung sabihin ni Mayor na walang nangyari diyan sa ating peace talks, peace talks, then we can go back to war.

WEBB: Mr. President, I have about 15 minutes left, ang dami ko pa hong tanong sa inyo. Let me..

DUTERTE: I’ll shorten my answer.

WEBB: Hindi naman po. I just don’t want you to think I’m rude. But so many things to cover. Visiting Forces Agreement, you are warning the United States that you will repeal or abrogate the VFA. Sir, what is really your stand there?

DUTERTE: Bakit hindi ko sila paalisin? Eh gusto nila akong sirain. Sinong estupidong tao na presidente na papayag na ganon? If you are here for your own benefit, no need to do maneuvers with the Filipino soldiers. They are good, better than you. It’s for your own convenience….Facing… Pinapa-asar mo lang ang China diyan. If you really want to recover the whole of China Sea, go ahead. Start it now. Go and send all your ships and battleships and all.

WEBB: But do you want it abrogated or repealed ASAP? Ganon ho ba?

DUTERTE: It’s an agreement actually. I’m still trying to figure out. Kasi maraming nagagalit sa akin. And even the military. Kaya ‘wag kayong sa military pati pulis. I know that at one time or another in your life, you have had or had had the chance to go to America for training. Iyan ang style ng America. And from all countries you get to.. Itong si Bato, I remember when I was a mayor, he went to Quantico to be with the FBI, ganun.

Alam ko. Pero itong kawalang-hiyaan, nandito sila tapos ganunin nila — bastusin nila tayo. Eh kung alam nila because they have enough intel eh. Alam nila na malawak talaga ang problema ng droga.

And you have a President pati ‘yung mga undersecretary na nagsasalita. You reprimand me but don’t you bring to the UN. Akala ko ba member tayo? You know, I said… And think of the… You went to Iraq on a flimsy reason of weapons of mass destruction. You got none but you had to invade the country and you had to kill Sadam. You go right to Libya, you undermined Libya. Bumagsak si Gaddafi. See! O gawain niyo sa akin ‘yan… Maybe you’d succeed but it’s just gonna be… I’ll give you a bloody nose.

WEBB: Are you expecting a better relationship with President-elect Donald Trump?

DUTERTE: No, that is why I am waiting for the… Naghihintay nga ako eh. Kasi kung.. Eh ang tao mabait naman, game ba. Ibig sabihin kung sa bugo ‘yan game. And he said that, ‘you know, we have the same mouth, Mr. President.’ ‘Yeah,’ sabi ko. ‘The only problem is yours is in English, mine is in my dialect but same.’ ‘Yeah, those guys there who are doing drugs, they are destroying your country.’

WEBB: So parang nasa wait-and-see kayo ngayon, Mr, President?

DUTERTE: Yes, pero ako…Alam mo ang America, Presidents come and go. Pero ‘yang State Department na ‘yan, bastos talaga ‘yan. Kasi, why? Multiracial kasi. Kita mo dito may isang clique, dito may isang grupo, ganon ‘yan sila.

Kita, pumunta ng Libya, eh Liberia offered assistance. Then asked Libyan government to craft a law allowing same sex marriages. Tingnan mo style nila. Kaya magpunta ‘yan dito, magsabi same sex marriages, sabihin ko dalin mo ‘yan doon sa cardinals, sa Bishops’ Conference, argue your case there.

WEBB: We need to talk about the South China Sea. Just a question on that, sir. When do you think you would bring up the arbitral ruling with China?

DUTERTE: During my time. I cannot let it pass na bale wala na lang. Kasi dito sabi ko they venture, yes. But are you ready to talk with me now? Because if you are not, I am not ready. I have only two choices.

I won the arbitral, there’s the award. Then I will force it. I will recover it through force. I will assert my supremacy there legal or go to war. Tama si PNoy, sabi niya, the only organ or the only agency or government that can really do something about it, gusto mo talaga is America.

You know why? Because while they were building ‘yung sa Spartly ngayon ‘di ba may mga intelligence data gathering, it was already bruited about in the entire world that something was a fought. A brewing ng Amerika… Bakit ‘di pumunta ng China, ‘hey guys, this is supposed to be an international sea. Nobody owns it and you just against the law, just putting up a structures’. Bakit hindi nila pinuntahan? Ngayon pinahinog na nila, gusto na tayo tuloy na mag.. We go into [caval?].

Wala akong problema if America decides to go to war? I will call my generals. I will call a command conference. Sali tayo? Sila man ang mamatay. Dito lang man tayo sa likod. Pag sinabi na, ‘sige, sir.’ O ‘di fight na. I will [inaudible] this country into war. Kung gusto ninyo ‘yan.

WEBB: But, Mr. President, I understand what you’re saying. You bring it up at the proper time but is there a specific circumstance that will prompt you to bring up the arbitral ruling?

DUTERTE: Yes, when the minerals are already being siphoned out, question of money. Wait a minute, I thought we’re friends. We share economic bounties and…So how about us? I have this title. So, anong tingin mo? ‘Di kaya mabuting mag-usap tayo ngayon? ‘Di ba? Iyong kayamanan na ang lumalabas diyan parang inheritance kasi ‘yan. ‘Pag namatay na ang tatay pati nanay…

WEBB: Hati-hati na ‘yung mga kapatid…

DUTERTE: Talagang gulo na ‘yan. Ganun ‘yan.

WEBB: But a US think tank recently had a report that…Meron na pong militarization doon po sa mga artificial islands that the China has setup. Is that a cause for concern for the Philippines?

DUTERTE: No, because if it was a really a serious concern then the United States should lead the way and stop it. I said, right at the beginning when the first paid spade of soil was tossed out to the area being reclaimed. Bakit hindi ‘yung think tank nila hindi nag-think? Because it is only a tank. It is hollow. It’s a think tank. Hindi naman tank ‘yan na pang-away eh.

That think tank is really useless. Why? Why raise a concern, why raise an issue putting the country into distress or under stress na wala ka naman palang gawin. Ikaw ‘yung may armas. Ikaw ‘yung may tangke kami dito slingshot lang. ‘O, boss, ano bang kailangan natin?’ Pero kung magsabi ang Pilipino, ‘let’s join America. America is going to war.’ O sabihin ko ‘yung military, ‘Okay, we are allied.’ US-RP pact. Ano? Giyera na tayo? Magsabi ka lang. ‘Sir, kaya. Kaya natin mamatay lahat.’ Eh talagang patay man tayong lahat, eh ‘di, ‘sige, lusob tayo.’

WEBB: I’m gonna go back dito po sa Pilipinas domestically kasi mayroon pong in the past week, there have been a number of explosions, sir. Actually, on Christmas Day nagpunta po kayo to visit the blast victims dun po sa Midsayap. Sir, any information on…

DUTERTE: Yes, I’ll give you the information. At alam ng mga tao doon. The press was talking about extrajudicial killings, pumutok ‘yung simbahan diyan. Sabi ko, the terror now is driven by… I’ll explain some other day. You can come back and find another time to ask me about it then I will explain to you in detail and maybe show you some visual things so that you’ll understand.

Itong Moro is now… Itong rebellion not all Moro… Itong mga…nandito na sila sa ano… Itong sa Leyte, what was being fought there is the turf war.

We are really exactly going into a slide just like Colombia. Ayaw lang maniwala kasi nitong mga ito eh. Ayaw lang nilang maniwala bigay ko ‘yung book kay Grillo. And Grillo came here to express his concern. The book about cartel. The one he wrote. Pumunta siya dito sa Malacanang. Hindi na nga lang ako nag-ingay. Sabi ko hindi naman kayo interesado. And it seems to me that parang lahat dito is always concerned of Human Rights, useless lang.

Pero ‘yung mga Human Rights ‘yon. Iyon nga ‘yung sa ospital pati ‘yung simbahan. I’m talking of ano sabi ko nga eh. Ang droga is very vicious and virulent thing. That is why I adopted a — na attitude of no compassion.

WEBB: But, Mr. President, is there anyone, one group behind the series of explosions recently? Meron na ho ba kayong information on who could be behind this?

DUTERTE: Itong grupong… It is being run still inside. Alam mo ba ninyo na sa mga jails, mga penal colonies, penal colonies all over. Meron silang negosyohan. Pati itong… So nandyan pa rin yan.

Alam mo, Pinky, ang boss nilang pinakamalaki nandoon na sa — lumabas na. Tapos tawag lang. May ano ‘yan sila mapa na malaki.

WEBB: Where they meet?

DUTERTE: Digital. Hindi sabihin lang niya, ‘iyan may order dito.’ Tawagan lang yan eh, cellphone eh. Pati sa kubeta ka, ‘O, order ako ng isang tonelada ha droga.’ ‘O sige kunin mo. Ibagsak namin diyan banda sa…’ Tapos i-map nila. ‘O, iyan dito.’ Parang war room ng Aguinaldo. May nakita kami doon sa…Hindi ko lang sabihin saang military base. Ganun.

WEBB: Okay. Mr. President, moving forward. Cabinet. Your Cabinet. Are you happy with your Cabinet?

DUTERTE: Yes.

WEBB: Are there gonna be changes in your Cabinet?

DUTERTE: No.

WEBB: Is there an underperforming agency?

DUTERTE: Wala, wala. As far as I am concerned, they are all working. And we got kind words from… Si Joey Salceda, he is an economist. He wrote something about the meager accomplishments. I’m not into this big thing. Wala akong… Quiet lang ako. Look, look at…

Tingnan mo na lang ang Pilipinas. Sabi ko change. I do not have to brag about it. What change? Change of what? Change of persons… Kaya sinabi ko kayong mga durugista, kayong mga druglords talagang papatayin ko kayo.

Magprangka na ako sa inyo. Itong sinasabi kong maliliit. Itong na ngayong nagpapaloloko. You have to have an IQ of maybe 14, 16 para pumasok ka. And to think that you have placed my countrymen 4 million slaves. Na nawala na ngayon slaves sa Amerika. Na tayo na alipin sa droga, alipin mo dahil sa droga. Iyan ang masakit sa akin.

WEBB: Mr. President, I’m sorry, sir, kasi sinesenyasan ako, limang minuto na lang daw po.

DUTERTE: Maniwala ka niyan kay sige pa.

WEBB: Hindi, kasi marami pa hong naghihintay.

DUTERTE: Well, you can have it a part of that your — some other time.

WEBB: Mr. President, would you consider giving Vice President Leni Robredo another post in your Cabinet?

DUTERTE: Alam mo kasi ma’am, ganito ‘yan. Noon, nagmagandang-loob lang rin ako kasi may Bise Presidente na walang trabaho. It’s right na… I mean, dito sinuswelduhan mo lang parang useless naman tao. So I went out of my way really — no need to announce, “Ma’am sabi ko baka…”

WEBB: I remember that, Mr. President.

DUTERTE: Ang problema nito, pag mag-demonstrate sila, nandiyan’ yung oust, oust. Alam mo ‘yang demonstrators diyan, ang left would never demand. Maybe at some other time.

Pero ‘yang left na ‘yan, maski saan ka magpunta Duterte talaga yan. Maski saan. They would not ever ever demand for my.. Ang Yellow ang oust. Sabi ko, lahat ko naman that’s my campaign promise: No corruption, ilibing ko si Marcos. Eh ashes na ‘yan eh. By the time that you place him there ashes na si Marcos. So wala nang… Ganoon katagal? Ashes na lang.

So, ano sabi ko? Because ako abugado. He was a president. Nobody would ever say that he was not a soldier. Whether he fought courageously, fearlessly. I was not there.

Nakalista ka doon, kung matapang ka talaga na sundalo, just for the record of history. Kung ikaw naman ay nagsisimple lang sa isang kanto, that’s about too late in debate of inquiring and you will not get a good result by the way. So that..

WEBB: So would you still reconsider giving her again a Cabinet post o hindi na po?

DUTERTE: Ang problema kasi niyan…Hindi man matapos ‘yan kasi alam mo na. Sour losers naman itong… Hindi marunong magtanggap ng talo. Tapos sige nandiyan siya ibig kong sabihin. I was about to… Nandiyan kasi siya. Tapos pagkabukas pagharap namin…

Just take it as a very incongruous thing. Not really for anything it’s just incongruity. Nandoon ka tapos you are a part of the crowd, you may not really be asking for it. But you are part of the crowd which says that they want me out. Ako naman alam ko na hindi mo ako ma-out. I mean, I usually give it as a, pati itong sa Amerikano. Kasi magulo talaga ‘to. I will give you a bloody nose, my God.

WEBB: So the answer is, no. Would that be a no? You would not give her a post again?

DUTERTE: At this time, I am not considering.

WEBB: I need to run this by you, sir. Plans for Senator Alan Cayetano? Will you still be giving him a post?

DUTERTE: I said, yes, I would be returning to the United States to fulfill his obligations. He’s on contract as a professor sa Western side pati Hawaii. Professor ‘yan ng international law, international trade. Nakiusap lang naman ako because… He was my roommate during sa law school namin. So sinabi ko na ano… Tumawag ka muna sandali. But Alan Cayetano would be coming in to take, to cover his post.

WEBB: So sigurado po iyon? Okay… How about former Senator Bongbong Marcos, will you give him a Cabinet post?

DUTERTE: Ang gusto niya kasi dati noon sa DOT but you know, I cannot wait for him. I have to move. I have to start. They said you have to hit the ground running. So alang-alang naman kung wala akong tao.

WEBB: So mayroon ka bang naiisip na Cabinet post for the former senator?

DUTERTE: Wala pa sa ngayon. I do not want to make promises and I will not even say an assumption for the public until I have the wherewithals in my hands.

WEBB: Okay, towards the tail end, we need to ask you about your health. Kamusta na po ang migraine niyo? Iyong likod niyo po? Are you still… May atake pa po ba?

DUTERTE: How old is your grandfather?

WEBB: Wala na po eh.

DUTERTE: How old is your father?

WEBB: 73…74.

DUTERTE: Wala siyang sakit?

WEBB: Vertigo.

DUTERTE: And what else?

WEBB: Iyon lang po.

DUTERTE: Iyon lang?

WEBB: Yeah.

DUTERTE: Ayon, lahat kami may vertigo.

WEBB: Yeah, I have vertigo too, sir.

DUTERTE: Yeah, kung ano yung sakit ng lolo mo when he was 72 years old, iyon ang sakit ko. Napaka-ano naman kung ano si Duterte dying ganon.

Lahat naman tayo mamatay. Lahat naman ng 72 may sakit. Ang tatay ko 56 na nga may sakit na eh. I outlived my father. He was 56 when he died. And he had a lot of medications to take everyday.

WEBB: Kayo ho ang nagsabi na you have bad migraines and you said that you take Fentanyl…

DUTERTE: Because of the spinal.

WEBB: Yes, yes..

DUTERTE: Kaya nga I have…I can even show you. Kasi sumemplang ako sa motor.

WEBB: Is that a fall? From your fall?

DUTERTE: That was about just three years ago.

WEBB: Okay.

DUTERTE: Oh no, the fault of the lady. Gumanon bigla eh. Sinirhan niya ‘yung ano but so I have to.. Tapos nagkaroon ng C4-C7. Ang asawa ko kasi nakikinig dyan sa mga doktor. Lahat ng doktor ang sabi, ‘aahh, tiis na lang, matanda na ‘yan siya.’ Pag magkamali pa ‘yan puta gaganon ‘yan bukas. Ayaw eh kasi nurse man rin.

WEBB: Yeah, yeah.

DUTERTE: Because sabi niya marami siyang nakita sa — when she was working in the United States as operations that went awry. Not expected, gulay na.

WEBB: Yeah.

DUTERTE: So hindi na bale. Kaya ako sabi ko naggaganoon. I was very confident. Sabi ko ginaganoon ko iyan. I’m pushing here. Kaya ako naggaganoon.

WEBB: Yeah.

DUTERTE: But actually my thumb is moving, pressing some nerves.

WEBB: Ito po? Okay.

DUTERTE: It gives me a relief. And okay, I’ll give you more of this visual. In a pain scale, I have about 2-3 everyday. Noon nagfe-Fentanyl ako bago ako nadisgrasya. Iyong pang talagang pang-patay. I used to have about 5-6 during attack ko. Pero ngayon… Tapos nahuli ako ng doktor na ‘yung isang ano talaga strip nilagay ko.

WEBB: You were supposed to take 1/4 pero ‘yung ginagamit niyo po ay isang buo.

DUTERTE: Kasi maganda ang feeling. Wala talaga eh. Parang hindi ka nadisgrasya eh. Tapos nahuli ako. Nagalit. Ang sabi niya, ‘stop it or else you go find another doctor.’

WEBB: So did you stop it?

DUTERTE: Wala na. Wala na ako. Wala na talaga. Wala na because sabi niya may isa pa akong doctor babae. Sabi niya, ‘If you learned to live with your pain and just get accustomed to it, your threshold mo sa — tataas.’

WEBB: Mr. President, New Year’s resolution? Is there one?

DUTERTE: I just want my country peaceful and developing. Developed, that’s all. Wala na akong ambisyon sa buhay. Wala na. Ano pang ambisyon? Nandito na ako. Wala ngang tao. Kaya pala alam ko na ngayon kung bakit yung isang number is dreaded when you are one. Because even paguwi ko mag-isa ako.

WEBB: Mag-isa ka. Just on a light note, I read something, sir, na medyo nahihirapan kayo doon sa ginagamit ninyong tugboat.

DUTERTE: Ayan.

WEBB: Sabi ninyo medyo nabibingi ka na dito sa tugboat.

DUTERTE: Hindi lang. Pag nasalubong ninyo ang waterlily ayaw gumalaw. Maraming water lily dito sa.

WEBB: Is anyone who is going to help you out? Sabi ninyo nahihiya kayong humingi ng pera sa Kongreso para palitan man lang yung tugboat ng Presidente. Ano ho?

DUTERTE: Okay pa naman. Okay lang. Ayaw ko. Maski dito noon, makita mo yung ilaw na bright as a day, tapos wala ng tao. Sabi ko aba, sineswerte kayo dito. Totoo, pati ‘yung sa bahay ko doon. Iyong aircon pagka gabi na, sabi ko once the night settles and it gets to be a little bit cool, sabi ko, shut down already.

So pagpasok ko diyan ang natutunan ko lights, presidente eh, pati swimming pool wala naman akong nakikita. Sana kung may mga kaibigan ka papuntahin mo dito kay manood ako magano sila. Basta lights on. Sabi ko, sirahan mo lahat iyan. And even the Christmas trees doon maganda. Sabi ko next year, no christmas tree, ang ganda eh.

WEBB: Ang lungkot naman ‘non.

DUTERTE: Wala ngang nanood eh. Wala namang bata. Sana kung may kasama ka na kaholding hands. Ang ganda no. Wala ngang bata. Sabi ko build it or make it somewhere else.

WEBB: Okay, Mr. President, I know that the other media outlets are waiting. So thank you so much. Mayroon lang po kaming iaabot sa inyo. Baka ho, well, I’m sure hindi ninyo po alam that we have this episode po sa CNN Philippines’ “Liham kay Digong”. So nagsulat po sila ng mga kanilang mga gusto nilang iparating sa inyo. Ibibigay ko na lang po ito sa inyong assistant.

DUTERTE: Before I forget baka isingit mo lang ito mas mauna ito, Mia. Kasi nag-release ako one week ago, one billion for those having rehabilitation community based muna.

Kulang ako ng pera ng pagpatayo muna. So diyan maybe under the supervision of the rural health or something. But I have one billion for you for medicines sa ‘yung mga sedatives while you are recovering kung pwede pa.

And I also released another one billion for ‘yung mga tao ngayon may hawak-hawak na reseta ng doctor na wala kayong pambili. And next year diretso na kayo sa hospital and they will just bill me.

Money put to good use. Pagka wala lang corruption. Sabi ko itong sa for the typhoon victims as long as there is no corruption and the money is really spent the way it was supposed to be budgeted help will come. I have released something like 50 million worth of seedling. Then another one billion to help you out.

Walang problema sa akin. No corruption we will survive and we will have a good government.

WEBB: Mr. President, we would like to thank you for this opportunity. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyo and we wish you luck.

DUTERTE: Thank you for your time. ●