(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s media interview, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
MEDIA INTERVIEW
WITH
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING HIS VISIT TO PAMPANGA
[Heroes Hall, San Fernando City, Pampanga | 28 August 2017]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: May I have the first question?
Q: Sir, magandang umaga po. Kanina po, nag-assure kayo doon sa inyong speech na safe na po ang consumption ng poultry products. Pero what measures have been recommended to you, Mr. President, so that the next entry of the avian flu will be —
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: It is a continuous surveillance, vigilance, of the early signs of contamination.
As of now, we have been able to sequester the place, sadly, destroyed all the animals there, fowls. Lahat. Mga… those that can contaminate us with the avian flu. That is fundamentally fowls and birds.
Wala namang human transmission eh. So I came here just to eat the chicken and the eggs and the baluts to assure the public na hindi ho delikado. Tapos na.
‘Yung areas na mayroong sakit ‘yung mga manok, mga… the ducks, sabi nila, hindi, because it is a carrier. Siya ‘yung carrier ng ano… taga-pasa ng contamination.
So ‘yung fowls, pati ‘yung mga pugo, anything that is classified as fowl… birds. ‘Yun ang… with the exception of the ducks, kasi hindi nga tinatamaan. May immune system sila sa avian flu and they are safe to eat.
Q: Sir, would you allow me a follow-up, sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Para sa balut lang, nandito kayong lahat? Susmaryosep.
Q: Sir, gusto ko lang ho malaman kung mag… i-a-amend niyo po ba ‘yung isang executive order or come up with a new executive order putting criminal liability for business companies who bring in avian flu-sick birds?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah, maybe not really long imprisonments, but a bigger monetary punishment. Fine. Pero huwag naman ‘yang… as long as there is really no malice in it.
Hindi naman… if they are not aware that existing ‘yung avian flu sa dinadala nila papasok, that could be too much.
Q: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: That could be a cruel and unusual punishment. That’s against the Constitution.
Q: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
Q: Sir, magandang umaga po, Mr. President. Welcome to Pampanga, sir. Medyo pahapyaw lang ho, this is not quite related with bird flu, sir. Ang tanong ko sir, what are your first marching orders to General Aaron Aquino who will be… whom you have appointed as PDEA Chief, and he is assuming his post as soon as possible?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Magre-retire na kasi si Aquino. Alam mo, lahat ‘yang nasa pwesto ngayon, dumaan ng ano ‘yan, Davao. General Cuy, who is the Undersecretary of DILG; Morente, who was also Chief of Police at one time. Si Sid Lapeña sa Customs, who was once upon a time… Hindi ‘yan mga taga-roon, dumaan lang sa trabaho nila.
Meron ‘yang silang tour of duty, every two years, they are assigned… nag-iikot ‘yan sila. Ang problema kasi, maraming mahuhusay sa Air Force, Sa Navy, sa Army eh kaso hindi ko sila kilala.
‘Yung dumaan ng Davao ang nakilala ko because I worked with them in the past. And I know that they are men of integrity na maaasahan ko.
Si Aaron was also working sa Catitipan. Aquino. So kilala ko silang lahat, at masabi ko na fundamentally, they can be relied on by me to function properly. Si Aquino for the longest time, nasa Davao ‘yan.
Q: How would you rate his performance, sir? Mula nung nasa Davao po siya hanggang nandito po siya sa Central Luzon? Reaction niyo po sa naging performance niya doon sa kanyang —?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Dito sa Region III?
Q: Davao.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sabi ko nga, mga matino na pulis ‘to. Dumaan ‘to sa akin, wala akong masabi.
Q: Salamat po.
Q: Sir, good morning. Sir, ‘yun pong kanina sa speech niyo sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, you mentioned na nilipat — ililipat — si sir [Espenido] sa Iloilo? May dapat ba sir matakot sa Iloilo? Is that like a warning to Mayor Mabilog?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, they have the specific orders. Implement the law. Hindi naman kailangan lecture-an ko everytime I say you go into an operation against the terrorists, the drug lords. That will be a redundancy because ilang taon na sila.
‘Yung PMAer ‘yan, apat na taon na binubukbok sila doon on the law of search and seizure. Alam nila ‘yan. Pati ‘yung mga pulis, ‘yun ang mga basic fundamentals nila.
‘Yung mga pulis lang na ordinaryo, dalawang taon ‘yan. So dalawang taon ako doon sa amin nagturo ng the law of search and seizure. Alam nila ‘yan.
Q: Sir, pasundot lang. Sir, sabi ni Mayor Mabilog he will work daw po hand-in-hand with General [Espenido]?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Again?
Q: Sabi po ni Mayor Mabilog, he will work side by side with Chief…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mabilog?
Q: Opo.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I’ll tell you again, Mayor. Dinadawit ka. For the longest time, updated list, nandiyan ka. Eh sa totoo lang, ngayon pang wala na nangyari, baka gusto mo nang tapusin ang connection mo.
Do not protect, do not call the police, ganito na ganito. Do not just mess up with the… kasi ‘pagka nandiyan, drug lord ka rin eh. mapipilitan ako. Bakit ka nag-protektar? Why the mayors, kayong mga judges, kayong mga prosecutors. Alam ko man hindi lahat.
Karamihan, wala. ‘Yung mag-corrupt. Kaya hindi kayo kontento sa sweldo ninyo, umalis kayo. Mag-drug lord na lang kayo. Bilyon ‘yan. Pero ang kapalit niyan, kamatayan mo. Nagbobolahan pa tayo dito.
Kayong mga mayaman na, tama na. Tama na, kasi ‘yung next generation ng Pilipino, ilagay mo sa alanganin. Hindi ako papayag na ganon.
Q: Mayor, maayong hapon. Sir, doon sa ambush interview niyo kanina, doon sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, nabanggit niyo po na pinagpahinga niyo lang kaunti si Faeldon. Ibig po bang sabihin, may posts na nakareserve sa kanya or may ibibigay kang—
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I don’t know if he’s willing to work again or not. Kagaya ng kay Taguiwalo, she was rejected. And maybe there are positions in government that will not need the consent of the Commission on Appointments or otherwise, Congress.
Sabi niya, ayaw — there will never be a time na — medyo downhearted siya. Eh talaga naman, maski anong gawain ko, talagang kung ang congressman nag…
Q: Follow up, sir. Anong possible — kung saka-sakali mang bibigyan si Faeldon ng pwesto, saang department?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala pa rin akong naisip. Bigay ni — sabi ko, “Magbakasyon ka muna. Bakasyon ka muna. Magpakasal ka muna. Hindi natuloy ‘yung last time in [inaudible],” sabi ko, “Tapos mag-usap tayo uli.”
Q: Mayor, may napili na po kayong ano — susunod na DSWD Secretary? May OIC pa rin…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala pa rin. Wala pa rin hanggang ngayon.
Q: Pero may options kayo? May pinagpipilian na po?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala pa rin kasi mahirap maghanap eh. Kagaya ni Taguiwalo, that she was suspected by, hindi naman lahat, but people — hindi rin ano — na the bulk of the money went to, ditong Pantawid, naibigay doon sa mga — ako sinabi ko, naibigay sa mga NPA.
Ang sinabi kong guidance ko, ganito, maski sa military. Pagka pagkain, huwag mo nang pigilan ‘yan. Kung ang pera na binibigay ni Taguiwalo, para na rin sa mga mahirap, may mga hirap na NPA, may mga gutom rin na hindi NPA — mas marami kaysa NPA — sabi ko, “Okay lang ako. Basta…”
Kaso lang, baka ‘yung pera, sabi nga ng… Baka naibili ng mga bala o armas, because of the pronouncement of Sison that they are expanding, that they are recruiting. So therefore, they would need more arms. They can buy, ambush, steal, or extort, whatever.
Q: So sir, pahiwatig niyo sir, parang nagagamit ‘yung fund ng DSWD?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi ko sinabi ‘yan. Merong mga reports. Sabi ko, “Hindi ko kailangan niyan.” Alam ko, mga left ‘yan sila, kaya ko kinuha. But ‘yung ano, sabi ko, I leave it to the others to pass judgment.
Q: Sir, last on my part, may nabanggit ho kayo nung guest niyo po ‘yung Dragonboat team sa Malacañang. May blind item po kayo na isang mataas na opisyal sa gobyerno na masyadong maluho kung bumiyahe at marangya ‘yung pamumuhay. Meron na po ba kayong pangalan nito ngayon?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala. Pero somebody explained —
Q: Babae sir, lalaki?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: —hindi naman ako nag-a… I did not attribute it to a particular person. But, somebody explained. The only way to find out the truth is tingnan niyo ‘yung saan naka-check in, anong flight, whether first-class.
Kami, bawal kami. And in — even when I was a Congressman, bawal talaga ‘yung first-class. Kung i-upgrade ka ng PAL because kilala ka ng PAL o Cebu Pacific, that’s another thing. Gratis naman ‘yan eh.
Pero ako, pag-travel ko, wala ‘yung first-class. When you take a regional flight, wala mang — wala mang first-class ‘yan. Meron business class.
Pero ako, sa Cabinet members, basta gamitin nila ‘yung pera ng gobyerno going there, going out, sabi ko, “Economy lang tayo.” Ako, when I take the commercial flights, economy ako.
Q: Mr. President, magandang hapon na ho sa inyo. Sabi ni incoming PDEA Chief, General Aaron Aquino, gusto niyang ‘yung anti-illegal drug campaign ninyo, siya — PDEA na lang ho ang mamahala, at huwag na ho ang PNP. Ito ho ba’y pagbibigyan ninyo? Ano po ang sagot ninyo sa kanya?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: That is an option again. Remember that I suspended ‘yung police operations down to the station level — prisinto. Kaya maraming abuso, nganga nang nganga itong human rights. So sabi ko, “Sige.” So, selected lang.
Ang problema ko, hindi lang ‘yang droga. ‘Yung mga pulis, nagki-kidnap, droga kunwari, tapos maghingi ‘yan ng pera, tapos may deed of sale na sa bahay mo. ‘Yung mga pulis na ‘yan identified, they will be out of the service soon.
‘Yung — ‘yung bumaril kay Kian… Hindi lang alam kasi hindi naman mahilig magsalita sa media kung wala si Ina pati si Bigornia — hindi sabihin na pro-ano, ano ko sila, kaya lang, hindi iti-twist ‘yung salita ko, as reported.
Hindi kagaya ng 2, iba ang labas. Sabihin mo pumunta ka doon nakahubad, sabihin niya nakadamit ka; pumunta ka roon nakadamit, sabihin nila nakahubad. Anong klaseng media ‘yan? So hanggang ngayon, may mga tao na would insist na ito ‘yung report — ito ‘yung sinabi.
Right after, tinawagan ko si Bato, sabihin ko, “I-detain mo na ‘yan for murder.” Nakita ko ‘yung… ang hinihila nila na tao eh. Hindi ako sigurado kung si Kian ‘yun. Pero from the looks of it, it ain’t that way. Hindi ‘yun performance of duty.
Q: Sir, may pahayag si UN Rapporteur Agnes Callamard, ‘yung kay Kian delos Santos na pangyayari, dapat daw ay huli na ‘yun. Ano ho ang inyong reaksyon dito?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: T*** i** niya, sabihin mo. Huwag niya akong takutin. P***** i** niya. G*** pala siya eh. Taga-saan ba ‘yang buang na ‘yan? What is his nationality?
Q: Commission on Human Rights. UN Rapporteur.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, no, no. Nationality. French? T*** i**, umuwi siya doon. Panghuli na… Who is he to… Mangyayari nang mangyayari ‘yan. Eh sa lugar niya nangyayari, g*** ka pala. Kaya nga pinagpuputok-putok doon araw-araw.
Bakit, [inaudible] doon. Sa kanila, they can detain a person almost indefinitely, under the French law. And the French law says you are guilty, and you have to prove your innocence. Ganun ‘yan, presumption dito, inosente ka, it is the State who will…
Panghuli na ‘yan. Papuntahin mo siya dito, sige sabihin mo. Nandito ba?
Q: No, sir wala po.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah, papuntahin mo dito, sige. Sabihin na, “Tingnan mo ‘yung sitwasyon.” Do not ever give me that kind of s***. Republika ng Pilipinas ito, ‘di ‘to teritoryo ng France. G*** pala siya. Hindi siya nakikinig ng sinasabi ko.
I refer him to my State of the Nation Address. It was the guidance of [inaudible]. Sabihin mo, “You should read, do not threaten.” Kasi, sumasakay lang siya doon sa… Takutin niya akong ganun. Sabihin mo sa kanya, [Speaks French]
Q: Ano ibig sabihin nun, sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Medyas mo, butas.
Q: Okay, maraming salamat po.
—END—
