One-on-One Interview of GMA with the President

President Rodrigo Duterte sat down with GMA broadcast journalist Jessica Soho for a one on one interview on 29 December 2016. The whole interview was split into wo videos. The video above is the first part and the second part is at the bottom of the page.

GMA-7’S ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW

WITH PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

Malacañan Palace

29 December 2016

JESSICA SOHO: Magandang hapon, Presidente Duterte.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE: Magandang hapon naman sa’yo Jessica Soho ng GMA at thank you for your time.

SOHO: Salamat din po.

DUTERTE: Naubusan naman ako ng Tagalog nito.

SOHO: Salamat din po sa inyong oras, Presidente. Noong huli ko ho kayong na-interview sa Davao after the elections, panalo na kayo but you have not assumed the presidency. Six months later, nandito na ho na tayo sa palasyo ng Malacañang.

DUTERTE: We thank God for allowing us this time to be here.

SOHO: Kamusta na ho kayo?

DUTERTE: Mabuti po sa lahat ng bagay.

SOHO: Okay ho? You have embraced this difficult job?

DUTERTE: Well, I asked for it. Actually so…But let me give you an answer, it might really just also give you a wonder.

If you think that I’m happy, extraordinarily, inordinately happy, I’ll give, I said: I don’t need the position at this time of my life.

Well, I don’t… You know, keeps on changing everyday, last minute, there’s… May nangyari dito, may nangyari doon. Then I have to get all problems. But you get used to it. Ang sinabi ko lang na I do not need it.

SOHO: Pero, wala naman ho kayo siyempreng regrets?

DUTERTE: Ah, wala.

SOHO: Too late for that, ‘di ho ba?

DUTERTE: Hindi ko kailangan itong ganito karaming problema. What I mean, I’m old.

Sana kung ibinigay ito ng Diyos noong 45 ako o 50, medyo okay pa. But you know, kagaya nga, I was planning my trip back home tomorrow after the flag raising ceremony sa Luneta, but then came the news that there was an explosion, a grenade so exploding in a public boxing exhibition.

So I had to make some detours. Sinabi ko sa asawa ko, I might not really make it for lunch. Kasi nag-order ako ng maliit na — mga gusto ko ano…Kasi walang kumakain dito eh.

SOHO: So your time is no longer your own. Have you come to terms with that Mr. President?

DUTERTE: Yes, of course. Tomorrow, I said there are a lot of wounded people there so…You just don’t go there and make something of a — stride there and go out. So you have to talk to them and that takes time.

SOHO: Ito pong inyong trabaho, is it within the range of your expectations o…?

DUTERTE: Yes.

SOHO: Beyond your expectations? Beyond your wildest imagination?

DUTERTE: No, I would just say that maybe I miscalculated everything. Iyong the time that I have to put my self point blank personally sa problema.

So kagaya nito. We are having a serious problem. Get back to me about three months from now. We’re trying to solve drugs and everything but this time there is something a brewing there. Sinabi ko naman sa bayan noon pa, that the, itong, the terrorism is here already, ‘yung Maute and they have pledged allegiance to the ISIS.

What makes it really very disturbing is the fact that they are… We thought at that time, ‘yung unang, first round sa drug war, while they were…We’re really after for those guys who made money for their pockets.

SOHO: So ano pong magiging…?

DUTERTE: But we have a serious problem because we believe now na itong bago, there are pocket of troubles all over the country, nasaan sila. And they’re fueling the terrorism sa drugs.

SOHO: May agad hong dalawang problema kayong nabanggit doon po sa tanong ko na ‘yun. The drug problem and terrorism. Alin ho ang priority ngayon doon?

DUTERTE: Well, ang problema, there seems to be a merger of identities between the clear case of drugs and ‘yung isang Maute.

SOHO: Ah, talaga ho may connection?

DUTERTE: May connection because–

SOHO: Iyong drugs and terrorism?

DUTERTE: Iyong nakuha naming kampo, there was this big laboratory. May laboratory talaga sa droga and it was a camp. And I cannot…That’s why I ordered a full-scale operation there because we cannot keep on losing territories there.

Kukunin na ‘yung isang munisipyo and they occupy it for so many days. Sabi ko sa security forces, this is really unacceptable to us and we have to do something about it.

But I maintain my very hard stance against drugs. And they said, that my statement bears really what’s even I say: Do not destroy my country because I will kill you and do not deprive us of our youth, the youth of our land because I will really destroy you.

SOHO: As of December 22, Mr. President, according to the PNP, almost one million na po ‘yung sumurender (surrender), over 42,000 arrested, pero meron din pong killed na over 2,000, according to the PNP, not to mention the 3 to 4,000 na binabanggit pong DUI, deaths under investigation or EJK na tinatawag po ng iba? So ibig sabihin po ‘non, may mga nag-Pasko na walang ama, walang ina.

DUTERTE: Correct.

SOHO: Walang kapatid, lolo, lola, tiyuhin. At sinasabi nila, hindi nila tinatanggi ho na user ‘yung kanilang mga mahal sa buhay, pero hindi naman daw ho nanlaban, hindi drug pusher, pero pinatay pa rin, even ‘yung mga sumurender (surrender). May gusto ho ba kayong sabihin sa kanila?

DUTERTE: Yes, very much. I said, it’s not state-sponsored. Kung sabihin mo there are about thousands and military men and magtanong ka ng isa diyan, kung may sinabi ba ‘ko, ‘patayin mo nakatali o sa likod mo barilin?’ It’s always, ‘go out, hunt for them, demand their surrender, if they refused and present a violent resistance, just kill them.’ That’s my order.

Remember Jessica and early on sa presidency ko, I never said, I ordered the police or the military, which taken in at that time, na you wage a punitive police action. I never said that. I said I’m declaring war.

So war is war. I need not go a war against any…Bakit ako maghintay at maubos na. It’s four million. It’s not a joke. Kaya ‘yung tini-trivialize ng lahat, pati na ‘yung human rights, talagang napupundi ako.

You can just imagine four million and you worry the first batch of 3,000? That was not ours. I ordered the police to operate on the third month of my presidency. You might want to recall the figures that before I assumed the presidency —

SOHO: Mataas na rin?

DUTERTE: Few days before pa karami na. And you must also take into account the names that I mentioned. And ang mga pulis na involved at ang mga lahat na.

Alam mo kasi, just to give you an idea, why would we wrap a person na ikot-ikotin mo ng plaster, as if you are manufacturing a mummy. What for? ‘Di sabihin ko na lang sa pulis na ‘barilin mo na lang sa ulo kung gusto mo’.

SOHO: So, hindi po sa gobyerno ‘yung mga mina-masking tape…?

DUTERTE: We would waste time.

SOHO: ‘Yung mga nilalagyan ng placard na ‘pusher ito, huwag tularan.’

DUTERTE: Well, I said there are a lot of people. Ako, ako kung ama ako ng isang babae na ni-rape, pinatay, bantay ka sa akin.

If government cannot give me justice and I see you there still walking after so many days, after so many months, patay ka sa akin.

SOHO: Paano naman ho, Mr. President, ‘yung mga collateral damage lang? ‘Yung mga tinamaan ng stray bullet, ‘yung mga pinag-initan lang, sinabay na, sinakyan na itong war on drugs niyo?

DUTERTE: I will never allow anything that is personal. Sinabi ko talaga sa kanila ‘yan.

Sabi ko, huwag ninyo akong ganyang… Don’t give me that kind of S, BS kasi — always stick to…Alam mo itong, itong mga PNPA man ‘to, four years, mga PMA-er ‘to.

You think I can order them to commit a crime? You can ask any policeman dito sa Maynila ngayon, may sinabi ba ako na patayin mo ‘yan si Mr. Santos, Ricardo Santos, talian mo pagkatapos…?

Remember I declared war, so always there are collateral damage because you cannot control the trajectory of bullets.

A policeman has every right to shoot if he is in danger of losing his life, and he cannot control, at tumagos ‘yung bala sa tao — ng isang tao pa, bata man, well I’m sorry. But you know there are always casualties that’s why it’s war.

But then again, on the higher interest of the nation kasi Presidente ako… Of course, I grieve, pero ang bayan ko, sisirain mo, four million addicts.

Alam mo ‘yung four million addicts, they are really actually turning — you’re turning my country of a land of slaves. Alipin sila sa droga through the medium itong tao. Kaya ako galit sa kanila.

Ginagawa mong four million alipin. Dysfunctional family, maghiwalay ‘yan sa asawa, ang pagkain niya na dadalin doon sa mesa para sa mga anak niya, sa droga

napunta, maghiwalay tapos ‘pag wala ng trabaho, magpatay ng tao, ‘pag nasira ‘yung utok mag-rape, utak pala, utok is Bisaya.

Tapos patayin niya ang lola niya kasi demonyo ang tingin niya at may nag-hunghung sa kanya. Alam mo ‘yung hunghung?

SOHO: Nagbubulong?

DUTERTE: Bumubulong. ‘Yun, patayin mo ‘yan kay masamang espirito ‘yan. And just imagine you create, you’ve thrown this country into a bedlam of criminal.

Kaya ako, magtanong kita, and then again about rights. You remember Noriega of Panama? Okay.

America invaded Panama, it was a republic, it’s a country, okay. Dinala na, they shanghaied the President, brought him to America, he stood trial there and he’s serving time in prison. All in the name of drugs.

At bakit ito, napakahipokrito naman nitong mga Amerikano, nakalimutan nila ang history nila. You know, at least, the very least that you should do is do not deny other people of their rights just because…

Huwag mong pigilan kami sa aming karapatan pati aming desire to be a nation na huwag naman masira. But you yourself…If you do it, it’s good; if it is — kaming mga Pilipino, masama.

You go to…Reporter ka — you… They go to Iraq, looking for weapons of mass destruction, finding one, finding no one, wala. So si Saddam. Tapos wala namang drugs, wala namang weapons of mass…

SOHO: WMD.

DUTERTE: Gaddafi, they undermined Gaddafi just maybe what Goldberg is doing. You know guys, you may be able to oust me but I’ll give you a bloody nose, remember that.

SOHO: So you find credible ito hong mga balitang may blueprint or oust plot against you?

DUTERTE: Anyway, kung meron man hindi ko na sasabihin sa iyo. Well, I would not confirm or deny it, maybe even deny it. It’s not good. Para bang aminin ko, natatakot ba ako? Sabi ko.

SOHO: You named the former ambassador so…

DUTERTE: Yes.

SOHO: So kumbinsido ho kayo na he was in it?

DUTERTE: Yes because he has history. Basahin mo ‘yung, I don’t know if it’s Time Magazine that circulates it. About the analysis of the person. He was there because…Ewan ko itong mga Amerikano. Iyong mga diplomat kasi they go with the elite, ‘yung mga party-party, siguro nagbulungan ang g——. He was there. He undermined the native President of Bolivia.

SOHO: Mukhang marami ho kayong hugot talaga sa Amerika, but, Mr. President, with your indulgence, I’ll ask you about foreign policy later.

DUTERTE: Yes, correct.

SOHO: Kung pwede ho ibalik ko lang dito sa droga ano. Kasi ang premise ho nitong war on drugs is you have a clean PNP, malinis ‘yung pulis. But here you have General Bato, himself, napapaiyak ‘pag ang pinag-usapan ay kung wala bang scalawags sa PNP. Mukhang siya mismo hirap na hirap na sabihin na walang…Paano niya lalabanan itong mga scalawags sa mga rango ng mga pulis? So paano ho iyan? How do you manage a situation like that na ‘yung mga pulis pumapatay ng mga drug suspect pero ‘yung mga pulis din baka kaya nila pinatay kasi gusto lang nila patahimikin ‘yung mga drugs suspects…

DUTERTE: Correct, ‘yung mga ninja.

SOHO: Eh paano ‘yon, hindi ho ba mas masamang sitwasyon ‘yon? You have an emboldened police na may mga scalawag killing people baka just because they don’t want these people na ikanta o ibuking sila?

DUTERTE: Well, pagka ‘yan ang ginawa mo sa akin, kandidato ka rin. You know, kindly hand me the visual drug industry of the Philippines.

I am supposed to be the only one holding it. Actually, it’s top secret. But because of the enormity of the problem, I had to call on the Speaker and the Senate President to make a study and if they have time to talk to me, how we intend to solve — we’ll go about solving the problem.

SOHO: Sige lang po, may we have the…Matrix ho ba uli ito?

DUTERTE: Hindi matrix. Ito ‘yung mga tao, listahan ito…

SOHO: Ang kapal ho ha.

DUTERTE: …ng pulis, barangay captain, mayor, mga governor, may mga congressman…

SOHO: Ang dami ho nito.

DUTERTE: Yes. Ito ang drug problem.

SOHO: This is separate pa ho sa mga binanggit niyo na dati?

DUTERTE: Tapos na ‘yon. Listahan ito lahat ha. Mga pangalan iyan ng mga tao.

SOHO: Pero confirmed po ba ‘yan, Mr. President? Walang pulitika ‘yan, baka napag-initan?

DUTERTE: Let me disabuse your mind. Kaming pulis we are only, pulis-pulisan, I’m the head of government anyway, we can only produce prima facie case. We cannot build a case beyond reasonable doubt that would stand in court.

SOHO: Okay.

DUTERTE: Hindi na pwede talaga ‘yan. That is totally…Hindi mo kaya. Tingnan mo ‘yan basahin mo.

SOHO: Ang daming pangalan.

DUTERTE: Ito Mindanao, region.

SOHO: Region 1, uy sa amin ‘yan, sa Ilocos.

DUTERTE: Basahin mo pa.

SOHO: Merong mga…Elected public officials. Kaka-elect ibig sabihin?

DUTERTE: Marami dito there is about 2,000, mag-abot ng three ‘yan.

SOHO: Ang kapal ho ha. Ang kapal ng listahan.

DUTERTE: Mga barangay captain.

SOHO: Down to the barangay —

DUTERTE: Municipal mayors, judges, elected officials. Iyan ang problema ko. Kailangan akong tumawa. Noong dumating ito sa akin, sabi ko, Christmas time, validated it. Sabi ko, hindi ko na kaya ‘yan.

SOHO: So Paskong-Pasko ito ang mga binasa niyo? Iyong mga listahan ng mga nasa droga?

DUTERTE: Alang-alang. As President, isa-isahin ko rin talaga ‘yan pero ‘yung nandito na, iyan…

At bakit hindi naman. Ganito nga sabihin mo, I get…Your drift of the question. Bakit panahon ni Duterte maraming patay? Bakit noon wala? Eh sabihin niya siguro inuubos niya.

Kasi, Jessica, you are not in the — in our buhay ng Pilipino. Sino ‘yung na-involve? Mga mayors. Paano makapag-ano ang mga pulis? Paano titirahin? Ang mayor noon may bodyguard, lima, Army; tapos llima, pulis. Tapos sinong pulis g—— na mag…Tapos bata ni Presidente. Tawagan si Presidente, ‘Presidente, ‘yon namang in-assign mong Army dito napaka-istrikto, nawawalan na tayo ng boto dito.’ Ang Presidente naman, ‘hayaan ninyo ‘yan.’ So did you get the clear picture of…

SOHO: I see the gravity of the problem.

DUTERTE: That is why ako, mayor ako, I miscalculated everything because I was limited. I was not privy to national itong ganito. So sa Davao lang…I was thinking na gawain ko lang ang Pilipinas na Davao. You have been to Davao. It’s peaceful, it’s clean, wala masyadong droga.

Ang tanong ko sa droga, meron dito laboratory one, laboratory two, pero meron doon laboratory inubos ko. Patay na silang lahat.

Anyway, ang ganun ‘nung na-Presidente ako, tapos I squeeze everything, naglabasan ang — by the hundreds of thousands. Maski ikaw na Pilipino tanungin kita, naligayahan ka?

Ikaw Pilipino, reporter, seasoned. Ako? I’ve been a vice mayor, mayor, tapos Presidente ako. Magtingin ka sa bayan, maliligaya ka? Ginagawa nila sa mga bata.

Maraming patay, ngayon? Kung ‘yung mga vigilantes hindi ko talaga ano. Hindi ko sagot iyan. Kakasabi ko lang kung ako, ang anak ko ma-rape at pinatay, watch out. Kagaya na ngayon na wala ng mga bodyguard ang mga u——. Tinanggal ko. May makita ka ba doon mapatakbo ‘yung mga governor, mayor? O noong Presidente ako, I gave them 24 hours. Sabi ko, papatayin ko talaga kayo. Kita mo takbuhan sila doon sa Crame, pawis na pawis.

SOHO: Pero is killing the solution, Mr. President?

DUTERTE: No it’s not.

SOHO: Kasi may mga nagsasabi rin po na ang tinatamaan dito sa war on drugs are mostly the poor. Iyong mga runner, user, pusher. Eh ‘yung mga malalaking tao sabi niyo nandun naman sa China, nasa abroad.

DUTERTE: Wala na tayong magawa doon. Pero ‘yung dito…

SOHO: Papaano ho iyon? Papatayin natin lahat ‘yung mga maliliit…

DUTERTE: Dahan-dahan natin…

SOHO: Do we really solve the problem by killing the tentacles and not the head of the octopus kumbaga?

DUTERTE: I said, saan ang — where is the big fish? Saan ‘yung fish? Ibinigay ko sa inyo ‘yung fish? Marami na ngang rubout ‘yan o. Anong gusto ninyo gawin ko? Walang fish ito. Ito. O tapos ‘yan. Ayan na ngayon. O big fish? Ibinigay ko na sa’yo. Hindi naman natin kontrolado yang…But you cannot call the heavens to come down on bended knees because of our problem.

I am only six months into the presidency. This is what I got. I will solve the problem the way I know how. The way I solve the problem of Davao.

Hindi ko na ma…Ang paradigm ko, mindset, hindi mo na maulit ‘yan. Ngayon maraming patay…Ganito. Ayaw na ninyo ng patayan? Huminto kayo. Huminto kayo ngayong gabi bukas wala ng mapatay. Wala ka ng makita ni isa.

So that’s the short — the long and short of the problem. Paano ‘yang mahirap? Bakit? What gave you the right just because you are poor? Or what gave you the right just because you are the mayor or a general?

What gave you the right [inaudible] with my country. Ngayon magpatayan tayo. Ito ngayon, sabi ko, sabi ko kay Speaker pinatawag ko dito pati si…Gusto mo ubusin ko ‘to? Madali lang ‘yan eh. Pero alam mo sabihin mo na utusan mo ‘yang mga pulis. ‘Di ‘yan papayag. Pero ‘pag sinabi mo, ‘o papiliiin mo ito bata.’ ‘General, paano i-solve natin ‘yan? Ikaw, sabi ko kay ano. Eh sabi niya, ikaw ‘yung presidente eh.

Kaya sabi ko, ito dito, wala akong pera. You must remember, what really compounded the problem is this, I became President mid-term. I am operating on a budget, to the last day ngayon, malapit na in just a few hours, on a budget that was prepared last year. At hindi pa ako, si Aquino pa.

SOHO: And yet you have this problem.

DUTERTE: I have them, tapos sinabi nila bottoms up. So what do I get? ‘Bakit ‘yan si Duterte hindi walang rehab? Walang ano…’ Anak ng…I cannot be here forever explaining. Wala kasi kung every time that I give a statement, wala namang — hindi ako na napi-pick up eh pati sa inyo.

SOHO: But we are live now, Mr. President, so…

DUTERTE: Iyong mga significant ano lang patayan. But the explanation does not, it does not really. Kaya nga sabi ko itong mga ulol na sa human rights na, ‘Duterte should be tried because he admitted killing criminals.’ ‘Di ba? Nandoon ka sa…You were there.

Hindi ba may nag-kidnap na Chinese na babae. Tapos dinala nila sa Cotabato. Tapos ang mga ulol, ‘di ba sabi nila na… I think you were there to cover that pati ‘yung sa…Nandun ka man ‘yung sa Metro Disco, ‘yung hostage-taking.

SOHO: Oo.

DUTERTE: O ngayon, pinatay ko talaga eh, eh lumaban eh. Tapos ‘yung babae isinauli. Nag-abang kami doon pero itong mga katabi ko, sila Estares noon, ganun mga… Marami kami noong dumaan ‘yung kidnappers, naglipatan ‘yung mga pulis doon. Kasi wala naman kasing g—— na. Rule number one ‘yan eh, ‘wag kang bumalik sa dinanaan mo.

And you won’t believe it. Iyong opisyal lang dalawa tapos driver namin. Bumalik sila sa daan. Pinara sila, napunta sa gitna ‘yung pulis, ginanon sila. Tapos binuksan ‘yung bintana lumabas na ‘yung Carbine, eh ‘di putukan na.

Pero pagkita mo doon, pagdating dito sa CNN, suspect, t—— pala. T——, g—— pala kayo, pa-suspect na. Harap na nga barilan na ‘yan. Suspect.

SOHO: Pero earlier this week, Mr. President, you were quoted as having said na may itinulak kayo sa helicopter?

DUTERTE: Eh kay Tulfo ‘yun.

SOHO: Hindi eh, may direct quote sa inyo eh in one of the newspapers.

DUTERTE: Kaya nga kay Tulfo ‘yun.

SOHO: Ah hindi kayo nagsabi?

DUTERTE: Kay Tulfo ‘yun sa column niya noon pa noong araw.

SOHO: Categorically, Mr. President, may pinatay na ho ba kayong tao na hindi nanlaban?

DUTERTE: Alam mo ‘yung… Hindi ka naman. Hindi ka naman. Ano ka ba execution?

SOHO: Hindi kasi…Hindi ba binabanggit niyo minsan?

DUTERTE: Hindi ka lalaki pagka- ganun.

SOHO: And so what’s the categorical statement, sir?

DUTERTE: Ganito ‘yan eh. You can never get a validation from me whether it is true or it happened or did not happen.

SOHO: Because you’re a lawyer.

DUTERTE: Yeah. Not only that because…May apat, tatlong suspect. Walang magsalita.

Saan ‘yung hostage ninyo? Walang magsalita. Tapos nahuli sila eh ang iba naman natatakot dahil. Sino sila? Walang magsalita.

Ganito ‘yan sa sine lang ‘yan. Kumbaga sine. Ayaw mo magsalita? Ihulog kita. ‘Di dalawa na lang? Ayaw ninyong magsalita? ‘O, sige magsalita kami. O iyong isa hindi ayaw talaga, hindi magsalita, ‘yung isa na lang ang naiwan. O dalawa ang nagsalita. Eh ihulog mo na lang.

SOHO: So, hinulog niyo?

DUTERTE: [laughs] Sa sine lang ‘yan.

SOHO: [laughs] Okay, Mr. President.

DUTERTE: Bakit gusto mo nang totoo?

SOHO: Kasi sometimes you make those statements and then the media reports here. And then paano ho ba? How best to understand ‘yung mga ganyang pronouncements?

DUTERTE: I need not explain to you kasi alam mo. Alam kayong mga GMA na matagal na diyan na I am fond of doing it.

Kita mo naman, sinabi ko lang sa eroplano, kilala mo ako eh. Sabi ko, ilang beses na tayo… Pagtingin ko doon sa window sa eroplano ang Diyos nagsabi ng…Sabi ko ganun. Sabi ko pinaano ako ng Diyos na, sabi ko… Alam mo pinick-up ng lahat, may nagsulat pa na ano…Eh loko-loko.

SOHO: Iyon pala joke.

DUTERTE: Sino ba namang g—— ang magsalita na…Ang joker diyan ang Diyos hindi ako.

SOHO: Pero I think that’s the problem also when you communicate and you make ‘yung mga off the cuff na remarks like that.

DUTERTE: No. It’s not a problem actually. If you cannot understand me…

SOHO: Kami ang may problema?

DUTERTE: The entire Filipino nation, kayo ang may problema. Basta ako dito trabaho. What I promised you. Let’s stick to the fundamentals.

Promise you, no corruption. O, kita mo na talagang uupakan kita. A corrupt Cabinet member, less than a minute. Isang mali ka lang. No tolerance ako diyan. Wala ‘yung, ‘ah pagbigyan mo kasi maliit lang naman ang ninakaw.’

‘Wag mo akong bigyan ng ganun. Sabi ko, I will…Destroy my country. Do not destroy my country. Kaya sabi ko, I am pleading to you. Noon pa ‘yan. Do not destroy our young. Do not deprive us.

Sinong Pilipino bukas? At itong… Ito spread all throughout the country. If these four million will go to work sa industry ng drugs and you can just imagine how the dogs on the ground will fight.

SOHO: Can we talk about the graft and corruption, Mr. President, kasi may mga nagsasabi ‘yung budget natin over 3 trillion is the biggest in the history of the country.

DUTERTE: Alang-alang. Lumalaki tayo taon-taon eh.

SOHO: Yes. But ang point ho doon is may pork barrel pa rin daw ho.

DUTERTE: Hindi ‘yan. Hindi sa amin ‘yan.

SOHO: Congress.

DUTERTE: I cannot… I cannot…But no, the projects are… Wala na ‘yung sila ang mamili.

Bahala na ‘yung anong gawain ninyo kung how do they manage to do it. But sabi ko ang mga budget na malaki should be done ‘yung mga [inaudible]. Hindi ikaw ang mamili. Noon sila kasi ang namimili kaya doon.

SOHO: So ngayon hindi na pwedeng magdikta ang mga congressmen what projects —

DUTERTE: Meron ng projects and the amount but ‘yung tao. It’s always the person involved.

SOHO: Okay.

DUTERTE: Okay. O ngayon kung meron pang manghingi ka talaga, eh ‘di bigyan ka pero hindi ‘yung nakawan talaga. It will not happen in my time.

SOHO: Iyong budget po ng Office of the President has increased eight times. Dati over 3 billion lang, ngayon 20 billion plus.

DUTERTE: Because of the…

SOHO: Bakit ho ang laki?

DUTERTE: Ang drug problem noon maliit lang, ito ngayon, how do you solve this one? How do you think I get a foundation? How do I fund the operation? May masabi mo budget ng pulis? Hindi magkasya ‘yon. How many criminals are there in one day? Or how many crimes are committed in one day and you say, ‘you are only good up to this amount.’

You do not calculate. Sabi ko miscalculation. The danger is calculation. Now, baka nakawin ni Duterte ‘yang pera? Wala akong history niyan. And you can…Anybody I invite, and I said I have this Executive Order, you are all invited to examine the documents.

SOHO: Sino ho ‘yung pulitiko na nagbigay sa inyo ng donasyon during the campaign na hindi niyo ginamit…

DUTERTE: Hindi pulitiko.

SOHO: Sabi niyo pulitiko, na hindi niyo ginamit ‘yung pera that’s why hindi niyo diniclare…

DUTERTE: Hindi pulitiko. I’m sure hindi pulitiko iyon.

SOHO: O kanino hong pera ‘yon galing?

DUTERTE: Hindi ko sasabihin.

SOHO: Iyong ipinamigay ninyo sa mga barangay officials sa Davao.

DUTERTE: Eleksyon iyon. Kaya doon ko nalaman ‘yung Central Bank. Kasi ‘nung ginanon ko ‘yung pera sabi ko, ‘hindi mo tanggapin, ipamigay ko ito sa tao.’ Nag-ano kami sabi ko, ‘look, it’s not fair.’ Kasi ‘yung binigyan ko ng tig 1,000 may kasali doon na ‘yung dati. Sabi ko, huwag na sana ninyong isinali.

SOHO: Dineny (deny) ho ni Governor Imee Marcos ‘yung sinabi niyo dati na nag-donate siya sa inyong kampanya. She said empanada lang daw at saka softdrinks.

DUTERTE: O ‘di in donation. Eh bakit kailangan pa…

SOHO: Eh pero sinabi ninyo na nagbigay siya ng pera sa inyong kampanya pero wala sa SOCE ninyo?

DUTERTE: Pambili nga ng empanada pati Coca-Cola, eh di ko naman alam ‘yung presyo.

SOHO: How about the big businessman na nabanggit na…Kayo mismo ang nagbanggit nito ha.

DUTERTE: Binanggit ko na, oo. Of course, ang pinakakilala na isa ‘yung mga…Ang lumilitaw palagi Lucio Tan, okay? You go to Lucio Tan. Kapag may nakuha ako na piso sa kanya, mag-resign ako bukas.

SOHO: Other businessmen?

DUTERTE: Iyon lang sila. Wala…

SOHO: May binanggit kayo recently na binanggit ninyo tapos wala sa SOCE ninyo?

DUTERTE: Saan? Wala akong…

SOHO: Wala na may binanggit kayo ng big businessman who donated to your campaign and then when we checked sa SOCE, wala, hindi nakalista.

DUTERTE: Meron. Ulitin mo tingnan mo ulit. Nandiyan ‘yan siya. Every time, noong unang pagtakbo ko nandiyan na ‘yan. Nandiyan na ‘yan sila. You review. Hindi ninyo tiningnan ng mabuti. Alam mo you cannot get wrong with this because ang pangalan niya nandiyan every election, expenses [charged?] You cannot go wrong and I cannot be more than right kasi nandiyan ‘yan sila.

SOHO: Ang taas ho ng trust approval ratings niyo in both SWS and Pulse. Kung tama ho ‘yung intindi naming sa Pulse Asia, you are the most popular President not in SWS, mas mataas pa ho ‘yung isang predecessor ninyo. And people like it that you’re authentic, nagmumura kayo, that you’re honest.

DUTERTE: Bakit ikaw kung galit hindi ka magmura?

SOHO: Hindi po. But the point is…

DUTERTE: Liar.

SOHO: Hindi ho. But the point is…The point of my question, Mr. President, is hindi ho ba kayo nanghihinayang that your positives are being overshadowed by your negatives or your negative points…

DUTERTE: Good question.

SOHO: Yes, because…

DUTERTE: I’m glad you asked that question.

SOHO: When you speak, nagmumura kayo. Iyong mga killings are giving the perception na hindi maganda sa Pilipinas. You know, it’s creating all of these negative perceptions about you and the country…

DUTERTE: No, no…

SOHO: Hindi ho ba kayo nanghihinayang that ‘yung popularity ninyo is parang nagiging counterproductive po ‘yung mga ibang sinasabi ninyo?

DUTERTE: I’ll give you a good answer and I am sure you’ll appreciate it. I never tell lies.

Kung ano ‘yung sinabi ko totoo iyan. Iyong sinabi nahulog sa eroplano, kay Tulfo man ‘yan sinusunod ko lang ‘yon.

Ngayon, ‘yung mga encounters. Ikaw mismo, o magbisita ka ng Davao palagi pag may marami ‘yung mga laboratory doon nagpunta ka eh ‘di patay lahat ‘yan, eh lumaban eh. Ngayon, ganito ‘yan, hindi ka naman nakikinig eh nagbasa ka naman diyan.

SOHO: Nakikinig po ako, nakikinig po ako. Tinitignan ko lang po ‘yung notes ko.

DUTERTE: Naging vice mayor ako, naging mayor ako, naging congressman ako, naging Presidente ako, ni minsan hindi ako natalo ng eleksyon. Ni minsan hindi ko iniba ang bunganga ko. Except for this presidency now, kasi bago lang eh.

All these years, 23, 24 years mayor ako, tapos congressman, hindi ko binago ang bunganga ko. Pati dito noong ipatawag kami ni Presidente Arroyo, I used to work for her eh.

Remember, I was her consultant on law and order. She used to call us at that time. Pagka hindi kami nagkakaintindihan, nagmumura ako. In front of the President, gumaganon ako, ‘ano ba ‘tong buhay na ito?’ Tapos ganun.

In public, sa kampanya. Ginawa ko lahat. I said I will go after graft and corruption. I will go after drugs, which is killing my country and I will not allow that. Huwag na na tayo magbolahan dito. Mahal ko ang bayan ko maski ganito lang ako. That criminal they should stop kasi magalit ako. And then sabi ko, I would allow burial. And then I said I will support endo.

Wala akong…I never…There is not a single na nag-renege ako. So hindi naman ako matakbo ng uli. As a matter of fact, sabi ko, if you have the federal type in two to three years, I am ready to step down and I give you my word I will do. Okay.

Ngayon, sabi mo negative. Hindi naman ito eleksyon. Wala naman prize kung positive ka or negative. Bigyan mo akong incentive.

SOHO: More investors. Hindi mati-turn off ‘yung mga investors, if you…

DUTERTE: Hindi. Basta ang nakikita ng investor hindi ang bunganga ko. Kung kikita ba sila dito dahil sa bunganga ko.

Kasi ikaw, pag drug lord kita sabihin mo, ‘Jessica, hintuin mo ‘yan kasi marami nang naloloko diyan sa lugar na ‘yan, kung hindi, hihiritan kita.’ That is music to the investor.

SOHO: Okay.

DUTERTE: So anong sinabi ng billionaire si Okada? Iyong gambler.

SOHO: Casino.

DUTERTE: O sabi niya, his drive against the…‘Good for the country, his mouth.’ He should… He should, he said, ‘yes, he has the right to be angry.’

SOHO: So are you…

DUTERTE: The investor?

SOHO: You sound very confident about the economy, Mr. President.

DUTERTE: Yes, upbeat ako sa economy kasi papasok na ang China. Kasi noon limitado tayo eh. It’s just that that we are limited to a very by hours.

I could expound…Limitado tayo sa foreign affair. Kailan pa ba tayo pinansin ng China? It was not until after my trip to China to talk to them.

But automatically that gesture also — nag-distansiya because America wants everything done according to their rules. Sila makipag-kaibigan sa China, they continue to talk. Tayo dito sabihin arbitral, ‘hindi i-push mo ‘yang arbitral, makipag-away ka.’

You get consensus, ‘yan ang ganun. We build the consensus then so? Ako ang nanalo sa kaso. I will give you a choice para maintindihan ng tao. I have two options: I will to go war and insist on sirain ko ‘yan sa Spratly — really tell the Navy, ‘sige, bombahan ninyo,’ I will go to war o I’ll talk? Give me the options now.

SOHO: Okay, pero okay ho kayo with the Chinese leaders. You’ve gone to China mukhang gusto rin nila kayo. But then again they keep on militarizing itong mga territories that we are claiming ourselves and then ipinadala pa doon ‘yung kanilang kaisa-isang aircraft carrier ngayon.

DUTERTE: Bakit ang Amerikano hindi nagpadala?

SOHO: Well, they’ve always been there.

DUTERTE: That’s the problem. Sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Papaano? What is the claim of America here? America is too far away.

But what is now the claim of the Philippines and…China is claiming ownership and so we are. So can you blame them? Ipinasabi lang niya noon pa — sa mapa ginawa nga China Sea eh.

SOHO: So confirmed…

DUTERTE: So I’m not justifying but because I told the Chinese when I was there. There will be time during my term that we will have to talk about the arbitral…

SOHO: China.

DUTERTE: Cannot be na maglampas lang ako sa buhay ko…

SOHO: So, hindi totoo na ise-set-aside niyo ‘yung ruling ng international tribunal?

DUTERTE: Hindi ko i-set aside. I said…

SOHO: You’ll always keep that card close to your chest.

DUTERTE: Yeah, ito ganito ‘yan. But I tell you now, para malaman diyan. What is it? When you begin to extract the oil which rare, is really money.

When you begin to extract the minerals there — sasabihin ko sa kanya, ‘what about me?’ You are the owner, I am also the owner, so what’s going to happen to us? But it’s not the time.

SOHO: So okay, okay ba sa inyo ‘yung ano…

DUTERTE: Tayo ang nag-e-extract diyan.

SOHO: Joint exploration? Because some people see that na dehado ang Pilipinas doon.

DUTERTE: Well, so…Sa ano? Hindi tayo dehado. Wala talaga tayong magawa because gusto ko man mag-giyera ngayon… Maybe you can ask the new ambassador. I’m willing to declare war against China tomorrow provided ‘yung entire seven plate ilagay mo diyan sa…Pati ‘yung mga eroplano mo, i-transfer all missile para sigurado tayong manalo.

Eh kung magpugpog na rin lang ako, do you think that we will win? Even…Even in the fantasy, you think we will win a war? I will not. But I will make a noise, certainly because I claim to be the owner.

But this is not the time kasi ang President…Sige, ibigay ko ‘yung airport sa’yo, what will I do will it? O, sige para walang gulo, iyo ang airport.

SOHO: So how best…

DUTERTE: Pero ngayon kung kutkutin mo ‘yan seabed, and you extract actually money there, eh mag-usap na tayo.

SOHO: So how best to appreciate po itong direction niyo sa foreign policy natin? Confirmed… Are you confirming that we’ve—you’ve actually pivoted to China, maka-China na ho tayo ngayon?

DUTERTE: No, I have been…

SOHO: Because some people are saying you’re playing one super power against the other. It’s parang nilalaro niyo ‘yung China against the US.

DUTERTE: Eh ‘di mas mabuti kung mag-giyera silang dalawa para mawala…Eh ‘di wala na silang dalawa, tayo na lang ang may-ari talaga ng lahat.

Ayaw mo pa yan? No, what I am saying is that I am playing reality with what is undiplomat. Kasi hindi pa tayo pinapansin ng China. So walang turista, wala tayong trade. Ang bala sa…Sana ‘yung gaano karami ‘yung ipinadala ko, ganoon din kadami ‘yung pinadala mo.

I mean, but we have to… It’s not in a matter of numbers or quantity. There has to be quality and value. Wala tayo niyan eh. Kasi ayaw nga nang ayaw. Ayaw talaga kausapin.

Kaya nagpunta ako, sabi ko, ‘Adre, ganito ‘wag ka masyadong mainit ulo mo sa akin.’ Ganoon ang pagsalita ko, ano lang ha… ‘Let me talk about this situation. We can always fix this. I do not have the capacity to declare war. And I am not here to be an insolent person because I am your visitor. I have to talk about trade and if you can help me because there are Chinese there involved in my country baka you can — just tell them to mellow down.

Sabi ko sa kanila, you know the reality of the war and do not ever, ever blame me kung anong mangyari sa mga tao ninyo.

SOHO: You are talking about the US ambassador — the American ambassador?

DUTERTE: Doon sa ano na rin — sa bilateral. Kasama ko ang mga Cabinet. ‘Wag ninyo akong sisihin.

A criminal is a criminal. ‘Wag kayong makialam sa batas namin, hindi kami makialam sa batas ninyo. So ganon ang usapan.

‘Pag kayo pagka sa droga sabi ko pasensiya. And that’s what I told Widodo, ‘di ba? Hindi ba nang mag-clamor nagpunta ako doon. Kung ‘yan na-raid siya o napatay or something else, kakausapin ko, sabihin ko, ‘Adre, ibigay mo na sa akin ‘yan Christmas gift.’ Pero droga?

SOHO: Shift po tayo ng topic, Mr. President. On hindsight, knowing what you know now na ‘yung issue on the Marcos burial. I’m sure you want — gusto niyo ho ang mga Pilipino magkaisa pero some people are saying na after itong isyung ito, parang lalo hong nagkawatak-watak ang mga Pilipino. Lalong naging divided ang bansa because of the issue on the Marcos burial. Knowing what you know now and on hindsight, wala ho kayong regrets dun sa inyong desisyon?

DUTERTE: I promised it during the debates. I was asked the question. Binay was asked the question and the rest, everybody they all said “no”, dalawa lang kami ni Binay.

Sinabi ko na papayagan ko because sabi ko, lahat ng mga Ilokano, nagsesentimiyento. It’s not…It is not healing the country, it’s dividing the country. At saka ako abugado. Dalawa lang: sundalo? O sundalo siya. Ngayon, presidente siya? Naging presidente siya. Masama ba siya na presidente? Wala na sa batas sinabi, except that he is a dictator or when he becomes a president for life o sundalo because he was a coward or because he was a hero, that’s not my business.

At saka I was not around when… Kakapanganak lang ng nanay ko sa akin. Sabi ko, bahala man ‘yan. Ang alam ko abugado ako at sinasabi sa amin kung ano ‘yung nandiyan, ‘wag mong ibahin.

Eh ‘yung Supreme Court that — different interpretation. Of course, I disagree with them. But I would respect it because it comes from the Supreme Court.

But kung sabihin mo na… Kagaya kay Grace, ‘yung sabi niya citizen siya? I disagree with the court. But in fairness to Grace she’s a very good lady. Wala ako pero… Kasi ang sa amin itinuro talaga… Ayoko ng mag… Sinabi doon sa eskwelahan na pagbuka mo, paglabas mo ng sa nanay mo diyan, ‘yan Pilipino ka. Iyan ang sinasabi nila Neptali Gonzales, ni Isagani Cruz. Iyong mga constitutionalist namin noon. Iyong mga…Iyan ang mga professor namin. E, bakit naiba ngayon? Isang semester ‘yon ha, mind you. Kaya na…Ito ngayon sabi sa amin. If the law is clear — is clear as the waters of a — do not anything there to change it.

SOHO: Medyo nadadalas ho ninyong binabanggit ang Martial Law sa inyong mga speech. Ah, tama ho ba iyong intindi ko, you you were quoted as having said na maybe it’s good to explore the possibility to amend the Constitution?

DUTERTE: Correct.

SOHO: Para ang presidente hindi mahirapan mag-declare ng Martial Law.

DUTERTE: Correct. Yes. Very correct.

SOHO: Seryoso ho ba kayo doon?

DUTERTE: Oo. Correct.

SOHO: Kasi some people are saying nako baka mag-declare ng Martial Law si Duterte.

DUTERTE: Ah kasi hindi sila kagaya ko. I mean I’m not here to please you. I’m here just to give you…

Lumabas ‘yan ‘yung una ‘yung Mindanao. And actually it was Ping Lacson’s, si senator, if anything can go wrong, sabi ni Ping in Mindanao, it wil go wrong, one of his law.

Sabi niya, if it gets worse, sabi niya, sabihin mo kay Rody mag-declare siya ng — suggest it to the President, to declare Martial Law for Mindanao. That’s the stories. Okay. Sabi ko itong Martial Law sinabi ko, ‘di ba sinabi ko ayaw ko? Hindi ako magdeclare. Hindi ko kailangan ‘yan. Sabi ko, okay na ako dito sa lawless violence, present state of things. Why?

Ang sabi ng Constitution, ‘pag mag-declare ako ng Martial Law, 60 days after I have to report to Congress and ask for an extension isang buwan.

Then the same Constitution says, that any person, or even, Jessica Soho, can petition the Supreme Court to find out if it is in — if it has a factual basis.

SOHO: Okay ah. Under what…

DUTERTE: Ah, ganito. Any citizen, if you declare a Martial Law, any citizen of this country can go there.

SOHO: Okay.

DUTERTE: But ako naman after a certain number of days, I have to report to Congress. If they are not ready or will not give me an extension, that’s capot, that’s it, okay.

Kung ang factual findings ng Supreme Court magkaiba sa Congress, anong gawain ko? So ako ngayon ang… Sabihin niyo — ang sabi ng Congress… Ang sabi ng Supreme Court, there is no sufficient reason for you to declare Martial Law.

Tapos kung ang Congress ang magsabi naman, okay, you have 60 days. Lumabas na itong petition ngayon ng walang factual basis. Sino ang tigas? ‘Di ako? Eh ‘di sabihin ko, ‘di ako maniwala sa iyo kasi inaway mo ang Supreme Court.’ Ngayon, ikaw naman Supreme Court, bakit mo ibinuko ang Congress? So dito kayo.

So do I need really somebody to declare Martial law? No. Any president for that matter, kung ginusto mo ng Martial law walang makapigil sa’yo. Even tonight. Lagyan mo na ng security barricades diyan and everybody passing Malacanan, search and there will be a curfew beginning 10 o’clock tonight. Walang makapigil niyan.

SOHO: Mr. President, pasensya na ho kayo but kailangan ho nating putulin itong ating interview sa…

DUTERTE: Bakit?

SOHO: …GMA News TV, itutuloy ho natin sa 24 Oras. In the meantime, sa amin pong mga manonood sa GMA TV, salamat po sa inyo.

DUTERTE: Gawin mong dalawang araw.

SOHO: Dalawang araw pa ho daw tayo mag-iinterview.

Abangan niyo po ‘yung aming interview sa 24 Oras live with Mike Enriquez and Vicky Morales. Diyan lang po kayo. Maraming salamat po.

DUTERTE: O, nakinig ba sila sa akin?

SOHO: Oo, sir.

DUTERTE: Mabuti ‘yan. ●