(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
SPEECH OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
DURING THE 56TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION ASSOCIATION
[Delivered at Centennial Hall, Manila Hotel | 26 September 2017]
Salamat po. Kindly sit down. Thank you for the courtesy.
As always, I have so many appointments for the day so that my speech — mga speech ko is prepared by the — just two pages. That’s about two sentences and a paragraph of the Constitution.
I would not be a true Filipino if I don’t mention really the entrails of the presidency.
May I greet the former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, sir, good evening; the Ambassador Jossef Bencze of Hungary; other members of the diplomatic corps; National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana; Solicitor General Jose Calida; former congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; Justice Manuel Lazaro; retired Chief Justice Renato Puno; members of the Senate and House of Representatives; and, of course, Senator Enrile, sir, salamat for the kind words, you did a great service also to the nation because talagang buong puso ako nagsisilbi sa bayan; the officials, members, and employees for the Philippine Constitution Association; mga kasama ko sa gobyerno; mga kababayan.
Well, I said I would not do justice just reading about — it’s only a half a minute. Maybe you’d say, after all, mabuti pa naghanap tayo ng iba.
I would be through in one minute and it is — I would say, not discourteous, but not adequate for me to be just talking a few words without substantial meaning.
Let me just state outright. I came from the Justice department. It’s their 120th anniversary. So let me reverse my — I’ll just start from where I left off.
And the penultimate statement, I said that we are in trouble and this is the first time that I would reveal it because we’re talking about the Constitution and the interest of the country and, of course, the Bill of Rights and due process.
The Philippines today is a client of the — client state of the Bamboo Triad. They have taken over the operations sa sad to say, Chinese but I do not mean the country and the people.
The sense that they are — most of them are really into this kind of business. I said they have decided to go international. Philippines is a transshipment of shabu to America and it behooves upon America to work closely with the Republic of the Philippines, especially on this serious matter.
We are flooded with drugs and the locals here have been taken in but they participate in the produce of the selling. And I think they are happy because they are protected.
We have become a narco-state long ago. The Philippines, the barangay, is about 40 percent affected with this kind of besiege and most of them are the barangay captains.
And that is the reason I said, I am not telling you anything. But I told the congressmen, the Senate President and Speaker that just listen to me. I’m not suggesting anything. Bahala na kayo.
At sinabi ko ‘yung totoo then I took them in to share the state secrets that are not really supposed to be revealed at this time.
But I think because of the incessant use of the issue, [EJK-EJK-EJK]. It’s about time that we be clear with each other.
I am a worker of government who swore before the people and God that I will enforce the law. And it is part of that oath that I do not have to favor anybody and that the laws of the land will be applicable to all, the rich and the poor.
‘Yan ang pagkaintindi ko sa trabaho. That’s what I understand. How I should…
So when I ran for the first time as mayor, it’s just after I was appointed for one year, Davao City was really a troubled place. We used to lose something like two or three policemen and soldiers a day through assassination.
And I was a prosecutor. And I was myself also tried in a kangaroo court when I was campaigning and they got hold of me. And I had to explain. Trabaho ko ‘yun eh. It’s my work.
And if you kill me, everybody dies anytime, anyhow. So as long as you just tell the world that — I was referring to the NPA — that you killed me for doing my duty as a prosecutor, so be it.
I’m ready to go. I have no illusions about life and death. The day I was born, I started to die.
And so when I became mayor, I became a fast friends and hindi naman talaga kami mayaman. You know, we… You know, destiny has something to do with it and maybe God. But really we started as migrants. Otherwise, kung ang tatay ko sa Cebu o nanay ko sa Marawi, she was a daughter of a Maranao lady, eh ‘di hindi na sana kami nagpunta ng Davao ang layo-layo. Pati…
My father was practicing his profession as a lawyer. Eh kung meron talaga kami doon sa amin, ‘di hindi na sana kami nagpunta ng ibang lugar.
But because my father was eternally searching for the greener pasture. Ang ginawa — Let me… If you’ll forgive me for taking a bit of your time.
Alam mo kasi, most of the migrants in Mindanao went there as if for the better life. Better than what they had before you.
And the Americans came up with the sloganeering, “Go to Mindanao because it is the land of promise.”
Well, actually, we went there and found out that Davao City was owned only by about — count the number in your fingers, about seven or eight.
All of them were — the land title there in the names of a few persons.
We have nothing against them. They were all Tagalogs. But you know, when they divided the Philippines, ‘yung mga homestead, mga cadastral lands.
You know the map, [inaudible] in the Philippines, it was only 19 — early. 1918 up to 1925. They introduced the homestead, American practice, and divided Mindanao into several territories.
So just like an imperialist would do, ‘yun ang ginawa nila.
And ibinigay na nila sa mga tao. So ‘yung pagdating ng — the huge migration took place between the islands of Leyte, Cebu, Bohol because it was nearer in proximity. Bababa ka lang eh.
And Davao City and the rest of the — is suffering from lupa. So it was a hot issue and I promised the NPAs that just you know, just go out for a while and do not f***, [excuse me], do not mess up with my city.
And I said, I will govern Davao the way I should do. And there were a lot of killings and those who were holding arms were given freely by the military because of anti-communists sentiments.
You were right away given an arms. So when peace time came, everybody, almost everybody in the community was holding firearms.
That made the place… You know, you’re from Davao — that made the place really very disorderly and crime-ridden.
So I said, and it was there that they started the drugs. When I won as mayor, I said, “I will serve you faithfully. And if you think I’m not — and even the communists, I try to invite you to kill me if I violate my oath.”
But I said, “I will make Davao peaceful. But do not destroy the city because I will kill you. And do not, you know, destroy the youth of the land because they are just are only assets.”
The reason why is very simple. We are not all millionaires. When we retire, kami dito sa gobyerno, we put our place exactly hoping that the savings or the pensions given us would sustain us for the years after retirement.
And there is no way of knowing how many years would I live after my retirement. And most of us are just not even… There’s no such things as a middle income family here.
It’s really the rich and the poor, period. Eh kami, we in government, I supposed I get a bigger sum because pegged to the last salary.
Pero doon na ako kukuha. How sure can I be that the pension that I get from the government will sustain me for the rest until God calls me in.
‘Yun ang mahirap. ‘Yun ang masakit sa akin. Because who will buy the oxygen? Who will pay for the hospitals of a regular government worker? Who will pay for the antibiotics? And eventually who will pay the funeral parlor and our burial expenses? It’s our children.
No such thing in America as — there’s a pension. No nothing. What you get is something an ordinary employee. You get about — the most is 100,000, maybe lower.
Policemen, they used to retire at 32,000. My — And you destroy…? When I die, at most of my children or majority of them are hooked into drugs, who will pay the price? It’s society, the Filipinos.
Who’s to be blame? Of course, government. Eh pu — Dumaan kayo dito at wala naman kayong ginawa. Why are we… There are so many zombies running around.
Now, count the number of Filipinos, children, mothers, and fathers killed since the advent of drugs. And they vary in number that we killed 10,000 or 12,000.
Where do you get the facts? You must be idiots. You’re just reading newspaper and say, “This Duterte is a killer.”
Or you rely on the bias of your representatives because the opposition gave it to them. That has always been my — the issue. Even when I was mayor.
Women, to be frank with you and killing. Well because in my time, I told the police and the military: “Do your work. Just now. Magtrabaho kayo.”
Kapag magtrabaho kayo, maraming engkwentro. There will be a lot of encounters. You work, do not give me that s*** of just sitting there. I will not accept it. We will all die in this God — it’s either we take control of our place.
Ano itong isa. There are Filipinos working abroad. In the Middle East, I will not specify the country, but I was there once upon a time to work on the release of a Filipina who was imprisoned.
And I was able to talk to King Fahd when I was governor — no sorry —congressman.
Nakiusap ako. I went there to beg and he said, “You better talk to one of the ministers.”
And I was introduced to a member of the Parliament. Then he talked about the plight, the sad story of the Filipinos. And this is what he say — he said to me, “You warn your countrymen not to go here. But if they do come here, let them live with the environment.”
You know, there are many places in the Middle East and in African countries that if you work as a household domestic helper and you are paid, and if you work there, bought from the slave markets of Africa, you are used.
So the head of the family will use you sometimes. Sometimes, the son; sometimes, the brother-in-law. And just entertaining the flesh, it would take them until so many hours, they sleep only three hours a day. And they continue to suffer humiliation and dignity.
And they continue to send money here so that their children can go to school, can get education. The father is in one country, the other — the mother is in another country.
You know, when a child gets hooked in drugs, even with the father or mother, it becomes a dysfunctional family. There is already a dysfunction because you would know.
Alam natin and even your sons and daughters that you know, they begin to steal the cars, your car, they will mortgage it and everything, and they steal. And they graduate into a high-time business of robbing and killing.
The poor, when they have the urge, they do not have any money, they go into a hold-up spree and they kill people. [Can I have… Where’s my aide? ‘Yan. ‘Yun o.]
Well, this is the updated version. This is supposed to be a national secret but I’ll just show you one page. How many of them are… [shows the list] Isa lang ‘yan o. Region I, o ito. O, look at the list:
So ganito. Past administration, July ‘10 to July ’16 — Anti-drug operations 7,000 —- 99,710; Killed in anti-drug operations, 206.
My administration: 70,854. How many died? 3,811, to date. These are legitimate encounters duly recorded.
Now, there are some countries which are insulting us to open our records to them, everything. Who are you to do that to my country? If you don’t believe our records, then go out and find something else to do.
We do not fabricate. Killed in police operation, total policemen killed, 85; Marawi casualties connected with the initial flashpoint — the Marawi war was ignited by the service of a summon and a warrant of arrest of one of the drug lords there.
There was a firefight and that started the rebellion. And I was really aghast to know that until now, they have so many bullets, ordnance and everything that the fight is still going on.
Police killed in police operation, 85; wounded in police operation, 215. Ang casualties is 58.
Soldiers killed-in-action, drug related, 146; wounded-in-action, 2,592.
And you say that we are killing our own countrymen? For what reason? You enjoy slaughtering your own countrymen?
‘Yan ang mahirap. Ang masakit sa akin — what is really very painful is there a lot of business going around, this time it was the Chinese — not the government, I said, not the people. I do not have any qualms against them. But look, what am I supposed to do?
You know, when I said in Davao, “I will clean up the city. For those who want to go out, go out now because if I destroy it, I’ll kill you.”
When I became President, I passed on the same message, “If you destroy my country, I will kill you. If you destroy the young people of this country, the greatest and only resource of this Republic, I will kill you, period.”
You all can go to hell if you disagree with me. But find me a law which says that a President of the Republic cannot say, “I will kill you to protect my country, I will kill you to protect the young people of this country.” Find me a law. [applause]
You know what? I may be just an old — one of the guys in Mindanao. But nobody, nobody in this country can question my love for my country. I will… I am ready to die for my country. I am not even asking for a recognition. I’d love to die for my country. Period. Wala nang— [applause]
I do not want to aspire to be a hero, I do not need that because my only worry is that my children and the grandchildren of my children. Do not do it here. Do not do it here.
Now, I’m warning — a lot of guys has taken over. Do not do it here. Do not do it here because I said, one of these days, America would be a sorry state.
They are no longer — the cocaine and heroin travels a long route. You just cook shabu in the boundary, just what like the trawler, the Chinese trawlers are doing, cooking shabu in the ships and throwing it over board and placing a GDP.
There’s a GDP so that the drug lords here are… Terrible. So if we meet in one… If we meet in one corner, I’m sorry. I am really sorry. I’m saying it to God, not to anybody else. I will not offer apologies or excuses. I have to do what I must do. Period. I am [applause] — thank you.
I hope you realize my statement when I became President. I told you, in the dealing of problems of corruption, drugs, criminality, I make it peaceful for the economy to thrive.
I never said that I was an expert in economics. I was honest enough to say, “I’ll take all of my…” mga kababa… Sonny Dominguez is a childhood friend. Tugade is from Cagayan, Tuguegarao.
They are all valedictorians. Pero ako, ordinaryo lang and — pero huwag mo talagang subukan ‘yun. Huwag mo talagang subukan ninyo because I will not allow my country to sink.
If you think that you are earning millions here, ha, better enjoy it because I said, “Magtatagpo rin tayo.”
You know, what is really very funny is this, when I became President, I did not start operating police punitive action right away. Kapa ako eh. You know why?
Because on the first day of my term, I said, “Give me all the available data of the drug problem.” And I found there nine generals. Nine f***** generals running the show here.
So what do you think? But there were already people being killed by the dozens. You count, you go back to the records so that you will be fair.
Ano basta salita ka lang nang salita. There were several killings before I assumed duty. Ten, fifteen, it was already a — almost a vicious thing everyday.
It was not only after two months that I allowed Bato, the PNP Chief, to start. But then, karamihan na, sige patay.
Not that I didn’t tell you. I will not name the countries. The funeral parlors complained that there are a lot of bodies piling there in their bodega and there are almost a warehouse already.
Nobody was claiming the bodies. I was not operating yet. Who do you think killed those pushers? Nobody claimed them because they were all foreigners. Could you ever think a Christian country — whatever the crime of your — their carcass did, kukunin mo talaga ‘yan sa punerarya.
But I said, remember there were complaints of piling up of bodies and nobody was claiming. Because they have no relatives here.
The drug lords are there… They are just a piece of meat, carcass, bahala diyan siya. And that was that issue na bakit maraming patay sa punerarya? They kept on pouring formalin because it was already stinking to the heavens.
Now, bakit walang nagke-claim? Eh walang kilala eh. Just like the innocent Filipinos lured abroad. Ito naman dito, they were lured here and to made believe that everything, you know, this kind of practice is all right.
And so the poor guys were also just cooking there and cooking here. Now, who do you think killed them? What would be my reasons to kill a foreigner?
And I said I did not start it until two months later. The problem is, people sometimes… You know, there’s a word, please remember it. I’d like everybody. It says that, “Men judge best when they condemn.” That is the problem.
If you are condemning, you are at your best element. The — pardon my protestation. I’m actually protesting.
That’s what I said, “Go to the streets and protest and I will protest also what’s happening to my country.” You are in my country, that’s what I am protesting it.
‘Yan ang — alam mo… And I would tell you then what you’re — what, what are you up to? Well, I would just say, that is my characterization of my job. That is how I characterize the Office of the President, and the perils, and the burden, and the duty that goes with it.
Mabuti ‘yang mag-klaro tayo. There will be no let-up. Ito, ang ginawa ko, ganito. Because the bishops are complaining, because they ride on the issue — ‘yung mga madre, diyan, go ahead. This is a free country — and say, “Duterte is planning for his extension in office.” S***.
I never wanted to be President. You know what? This is what happened. During the last day of the term filing for — I did not file. So, some supporters were disappointed. So when I finally decided to run, sino ang nagtulong sa akin? In the entire Philippines, who supported me?
How many governors? Imee Marcos, one. Abet Garcia. Governor. Two. Romualdez, mga Romualdez sa ano. Then one single — one single [That’s Bisaya, one single] — one single governor and only because she loved me and I loved her. [laughter and applause]
Wala… I did not have a single barangay captain in Luzon, in the Visayas, in the hometown of my father, Danao, Cebu. Even my cousins were supporting the other guys. I said, “Okay.” Then — and only in Davao.
So how many all in all politicians? About five, six, seven. Oh, when the results came. I had a majority of six million. And all in all, you add it to the 15 million — the number of votes — 15 million-something — 16 rather. So the 10 million plus the 16. Without any money, a very limited campaign activity, I won by a landslide. What does that say to you? [applause]
I had only three messages, four. I will stop corruption. And my God, I will stop corruption. Papatay ko. L**** kayo. [laughter] Oh, even if I have to kill you, I’ll kill you. I said stop — I will stop corruption, I will stop drugs, I will stop criminality.
‘Yung mga pulis ma murder-for-hire, and those policemen who are still wanted, and I placed a 20-million reward on their head, and I announced the other day that I am putting another million, three million. I want their heads in front of me.
You know, I am not a violent man. I am not even — of course, I’m a playful guy. But when it comes to my country, I can be the most brutal. But I do not lose the sight of the Constitution because I am a lawyer.
Always, always. I was a prosecutor, I was doing trial work for eight years. I know what due process means. I know what is due should be given to the citizens. And lastly, I do not want killing innocent Filipino people. Rather, I do not want to see or…
Tingnan mo ha, you. You here, you are… kayo lahat dito, Manila. You saw on TV. Kian was killed. Another one. So there were a lot of ruckus there. So I’m not saying that the police is really… There are police who became police just because they wanted to make money.
And these are the guys that we have to root out. And if you do not do anything, just take against them, because they are the police, contemporary Philippines, you’ll never go where.
And I said, if you are a policeman or a military man and you’re into drugs, you will be the first to go. Look at what they are doing. Kian was killed. Two days after, there was this police operation, because really Caloocan is flooded with drugs, in deep s*** of drugs. The police went there, and you know, one was shot in the head, right.
He had a protected gear, he had a helmet, but he… And so with these guys who died, the statistics… Why Army? Why Army? Because in some places in the Philippines, if you just rely on the police, they will be massacred.
That is why, in Mindanao, if you want to go against the drug syndicates, you have to use a military armored car there. Because the first thing that you will experience is the M60, babag… The police does not have that kind of weapon.
So the entry is always made by the Army. That is why mas maraming patay na Army in the campaign against drugs. Kaya while there are so many people, and the other, 206. Mine is 3,811 legitimate. Why? Because when I became President, I said, “Don’t give me that… You work. If I do not see results…” And I go out at night. Everybody knows it.
In my city, I go out alone. I drive a taxi, and I watch people. I do not… A lot of you, you had the time to ride with me around. I do not bring bodyguards and all. I said, if it’s your time, it’s your time. That is why the press said, “Why is Duterte always saying about death or…” Well, we’re talking about death because we’re talking about the dangers of drugs. And it could mean a danger to your life and the life of the idiot there outside making money and destroying the lives of people.
And I said, it’s not that great. Never mind. Don’t give me a number. My country deserves the best even if you catch one, two, of three Filipinos. And if you oppress them, I will react.
I said, I made — if you pro — during the debates, the national debates during the campaign, I said — I finished early because I knew that we were only given one minute and a half. And if I follow that schedule given by the — what can you… When you talk about bridges and everything, eh mawalaan ka ng — there’s not enough time.
So mine, may bullets. And what was my message? The three most important issues that the Filipinos are really afraid of: corruption, drugs, criminality. ‘Yun ang… I would let the managers take care of — do not ask me because even looking at the statistics, I get dizzy. Paganun-ganun, t*** i**, saan ba ito pupunta? Ganito-ganito.
I — I took up Economics, but not that — others took it seriously, maybe because they wanted to be economists. Me? I just wanted to be a trial lawyer, because I was fascinated eh. That’s why I joined the prosecute — prosecution.
And I really wanted to help my country. So when I was Mayor, I knew what I was doing. Due process must be observed. I will be the first one to break it. Now, there are 130 policemen in the Philippines. Find me one, even one officer or a patrolman, find me one that would say that I ordered them to execute criminals and you will have my resignation tomorrow. I’m only asking for one — patrolman or a police officer.
Sige nga. And I’m challenging the opposition. If it is true in an affidavit form, or if you say that my children are into this kind of smuggling or… I told you, I will not hesitate. I told them that you find my two sons or one of my sons into it, you kill them. You kill him.
That is to show you na I do not — I enforce the law against everybody. Ako, wala man akong ma-enforce. I do not smoke. I banned smoking. It is only when I became President na walang manigarilyo dito. I — I made Davao City smoke-free 15 years ago. I banned the paputok, the firecrackers during New Year’s. And they say it was impossible. Let us see.
Oh ngayon, bakit? Davao has registered the highest growth rate in entire history of the new — during our time, maybe the — Cory’s time. We are registering nine percent growth rate. Pero tao, ay grabe. We are numbering about two million already.
And that is why I have to keep doing my work, make the Philippines safe so that everybody can work. Never mind about outside incentives and assist — assistance. That we can be productive on our own and we can give work to… If there are those who’d like to join us, China, Japan, come and we would be happy.
I would say thank you, but to make it safe — because that is my — my template is Davao. I challenge you to go to Davao and work — walk about the whole evening. And if you are — I said, I guarantee you, unfettered, undisturbed, unmolested there. If something goes wrong there, let me know, I will slit my throat in front of you.
Why is Davao so peaceful? Why is Davao so clean? Why is Davao expanding like hell? It’s because it’s safe. And they want to cite figures. Huwag ka na ‘yang… Do not listen to the opposition.
I said, men judge best when they condemn, or purposely really. ‘Yung iba naman, they take it all hook, line, and sinker and start to babble their mouth. You go first and investigate. I do not con… I said that during my time, during the other people the time is 206, why?
Because the police and the — everybody was into it. God d*****. Now, mine — 3,811. How many so — how many policemen? Well, over 50. In Davao, all policemen who were connected with drugs died.
Just give them a chance to fight. [inaudible] Give them a gun if they want to fight. And that is your — that… If you go — if you commit a crime, you run the risk of…
I said, “Go out and hunt for them, bring him under the custody of the law.”
If there is resistance then you have to overcome that resistance because you’re duty is to bring him to the police station or to the judge issuing the warrant.
Once you resist, because the duty of a citizen is a place under arrest is you must surrender to the majesty of the law. So when you are place and he says, if the person announces, “I am a policeman.” “I am a soldier, better drop your weapon, stop it.”
Now, if you resist, I will not — then the policeman or the military is under obligation to overcome your resistance and drag you to the police station for investigation or if there’s a warrant of arrest then bring him to the judge.
That is why when drugs and children are taken into custody they begin to [inaudible] especially children. So the police and the drunk people, they have to be subdued physically.
So what happens? When they have these bombs and — they go to the hospitals, have them examined, medical injuries in the… So what is the — what is the practice now in the Philippines?
Every time a police enforces the law and there is a case filed against them, the police will either would just keep quiet about it or they don’t do it. That’s why you see a lot of children.
Nakikita ninyo sa EDSA, small children running. When they run, there’s a semblance of chase by the police and the tanod but when they are taken into custody physically, and say, “How old are you?” “15 years old.”
Not a minute of detention nor even half a minute of a lecture about accountability and responsibility. These guys go in and out everyday they grew up with the set of a psyche that it’s all right to violate the law.
Now, I will tell you, I hate it. Because he is a friend and you know, once upon a time my daughter, my only daughter then, I have two daughters now because I have two wives.
She was the only one at that time, the mayor now of Davao City. Said — I said, “Anak…” It’s a daughter eh, the only, “What do you want for your birthday?”
She was about second year in high school, she said, “Papa, I want to have dinner with Sharon Cuneta.” Her idol. So I had to call — I had to call Senator Pangilinan.
Pero I have to be… Senator, I — I owe you for doing it to my daughter. I respect you and I — I… This is the thing I would like — not to do, I hate it. But I have to be honest to the nation.
It is you, the singular person of this country who is responsible for all of this now. I’m referring to the children, because you passed the law. You copied it, it’s either the New York — State of New York Juvenile Offenders Law or the State of Washington. Alin ‘yan diyan siya kaya similar.
You know, when you say that they will be not imprisoned, you ought to have provided under the law an automatic recurrent money to build correctional facilities. They have to…
Just like in America, you copied that, you… From nine — well, below nine, they’re babies. Above nine, below twelve, you have to determine whether or not there was malice.
Of course, stealing food to me is not — has no malice, clothes. But, you know, doing indecent things against a woman, there’s always malice there. Then above twelve, below sixteen, where you play the indeterminate sentence, it’s either be a full-term or short-term, depending on the court and the severity of the — of the criminal mind.
That’s how it’s being done, ang problema kay Pangilinan, Senator, I wanted during the campaign to talk about it but I refrained because I said that — I — you know, when you ask a favor.
Pero kita mo naman, pagkatapos, they are brought to the station and when the child says that, “I am only 13.” And he goes back to commit another crime, sometimes there are four snatching cases a day.
And they go in and out, that’s good that you — you maybe, to the [inaudible] of some sociologists there, criminologists, it’s good that you had to the higher motive, it is okay — the children, 15.
But you… When they commit a crime, in and out, in and out, in and out, everyday, what do you expect of that generation when they grow up? Sige nga.
Now, this is not what happened in Kian or whatever previous incident, I would be very sparing in my… I’m not attributing it.
Why is it that you find many minors walking around at night? There’s a curfew but it is not enforced. Most cities have lost against minors roaming around, doing nothing in the streets.
Davao City is one city, which enforces the curfew. But in many places here in Manila, Manila — they cannot, Caloocan and the Metro Manila itself. Now, they walk around, why do they have — I’m not referring to any particular incident.
Ganito ‘yan eh. Ako, I’m 72. Then I befriend, or a friend, or a cousin, “Halika, sama ka.” Then I go walk around, may lalapit sa akin and they have this [inaudible] about drug, mention something about “bato” or “pare, meron ka ba diyan?” “Sige. How much?” “How many?” “Five sachets?” “Okay. In that corner, you stand there, just wait for five minutes.” Tapos aalis ako, tapos I call the child, you will find — so that you give it to him and get the money.
If by chance, there is a passerby or — mahuli. Once he gets hold of the child, “Oops, I’m a minor.” “Ehh.” Because if you hurt or bring, or imprison a minor, that policeman will go to jail.
So hindi dalhin ‘yan sa istasyon. The distributor, the peddlers, runners nga — they’re just running the errands, ‘yung mga bata, they don’t know what’s actually being delivered.
But by now, because it’s a common practice, alam na nila ‘yan. But I said, I was — I — I’m a prosecutor, I always have that thing of — you know, trying to solve how it is, how was it done.
So ‘pag nahuli ‘yung… If the child is caught, he simply goes away, rides a motor to trade for another day. That is the problem of our country today.
At itong mga magtago ng droga, you know, if I will be blunt, I don’t mind if you are caught with one ton of shabu and I am around, you are dead. You are dead.
‘Yung mga distributor, if I find your trawler there or whatever, I will personally… Because it’s terrorism.
What do you think funded the Marawi siege? I’ve been telling you, everyone, eh kung makinig ka sa prosecution, marami sasabihin na he just wants to martial law-martial law.
You know, all I need is my two balls complete. Walang martial law-martial law. But that rebellion in Marawi was… And why is it that it’s still raging until now? Because the terrain has a different [inaudible].
Just like the wars in — in Iraq, in Syria, and Mosul and Aleppo because they have natural concrete covers. And they were prepared with the holes…
Alam mo, they have a hole here and another hole there. Ito ‘yung outside wall, dito sa loob, kwarto may wall. Lusot doon sila, dalawang layers pa. Dalawang layers na ano eh. Eh tatamaan mo ‘yan, dito ako eh, malayo. That’s the trick.
And they have covers and they have dug tunnels underground, nilagyan ‘yan ng mga IEDs, lahat na. Until now, everyday, I lose a policeman or a soldier. I will be receiving my briefer and it hurts me deeply, that is why.
That is — you — you see the outburst in me, almost shouting. Why? Because I declared martial law and I sent the soldiers and policemen there to die. So whenever I read the briefer every night, the burden is always here.
I am glad that — thank you for really inviting me, so that I’d be given a chance to…
We are in trouble. We are in trouble, and China has trouble. Walang alam ‘yung mga gangster. Every country has gangsters. Every gangster now — 40 percent of the barangays in the Philippines are contaminated.
I told the Congressmen, the Senate President and the Speaker, nilatag ko lang oh, here. I will not — they said, “Do you think that an election, barangay election would be advisable?” “It’s your take.”
Me? All I do is that I will enforce the law. If I have enemies numbering 1,000 then I will prepare my police and army for 1,000. If there are two, two, three there, then…
No need for a martial law-martial law in this game of drugs. Pero basta kapag nahuli kita isang tonelada, ah p***** i** ‘wag mo akong. I’ve told you before in my Presidency, I’m staking my honor, my life and the Presidency itself, period.
Wala nang istorya tayo diyan. [applause]
Either we follow the civilized way or we follow the brutalized methods of… Just do not destroy my country. Do not destroy our young people because they are our valued assets.
Because maybe, most of us here can afford the hospital. And that’s about how many? One percent? Two percent? How about the 98, 99 Filipinos outside?
I said it’s dysfunctional. Even when they had — the child is under the influence of drugs, this family is already dysfunctional.
When the husband goes out to work outside of the Philippines, without the father, this Filipino family is already dysfunctional.
If the mother and father is out, and the children are left to the care of the grandmother or to the relatives, the poor Filipinos has no family at all.
Now, you add that, that you make our children, their children inutil and useless. That is not good for the country and you have to deal with me.
That is why if the… They look at me as a killer. I used to be known as a killer in my city. Killer of ladies. [laughter] Killer looks. But I said, “Let us be frank with each other.”
That’s the Constitution. It prescribes the Bill of Rights. They say, the great magistrate here is the limit of power because we have the inherent police power, taxation… So it’s the limit of what government can do.
Well, as long as you do not destroy, we will always abide by the limits. The Bill of Rights, due process. They say that we cannot investigate children. Release them. Allow them to…
Look at a craze. You have a very visual thing about — two weeks ago, here is this guy — ‘yun nga — walking around, threatening to stab all people.
Then, he started to stab the policeman. ‘Yung police inaresto siya there. What did the police do? He kept on parrying the stab. He got hold of the knife and slashed his fingers.
And yet, he was retreating. And when he fell down, and the criminal was on top of him, all recorded in a CCTV, shown to the whole, entire Philippines by ABS-CBN and the rest sometimes — isa ka pa, ABS-CBN. [laughter]
You know, I’m not trying to — there will never be a time that the elite of this country will have their way. It has always been the elite, the rich people, the rich politician. Me, if you supported me, I do not have debts of gratitude to pay.
Ito, mag-prangkahan tayo. We are all lawyers. Do you think the Republic of the Philippines would ever get back the Mile Long? The property of the people that was taken away by the elite of this country.
And I told them, “You know, you were collecting taxes on a property owned by the people already.” The contract to occupy it was — has long gone.
You start to — I will charge you with economic sabotage. That… That crime will not give you any right to bail.
So, I’m telling you now, everybody who owns property of the government, return it now na wala pa tayong kaso because I will personally arrest. It would give me extreme pleasure to do the honor.
That’s why itong Mile Long… Well, I would not want — pati — they were using — ito ring mga g***** mga b******* that are killing press freedom.
You now, abogado tayo. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Then, you criticize us, picture us, lalo na politician, as if we are patay-gutom, that we are all — we are all there to plunder my — my country.
You, even in your editorials, you s***. Ipahiya ninyo ang tao, you put the guy to shame, humiliation. O, tapos, you are occupying a property of the government, making your self rich at the expense of the —
Sabi ko, return it or — and henceforth, there will be no special privileges for anybody. Wala. Walang pakiusap dito. Even ‘yang mga ano. I do not — do not talk to me. I do not talk to businessmen. You want to talk to me? You talk to the Secretary.
Puro bright ‘yan. ‘Wag mo akong — Ako, I just sign state papers, appointments, promotion of generals and everything.
And I said — there was this loose talk about coup military coup. If you think that you deserve another leader, tell me. Do not fight because my… my — they are also military and policemen.
You just tell me and — [come here, you line up. There, line up there]— “I, Lieutenant General of… appointed as a junta member…” O sige, you solve the problem. You recover the properties of the government.
Alam mo, basta ‘yung ano… Basta kayong wala nang — mga abogado man tayo lahat dito. You tell your clients, “Pay the tax correctly.”
‘Yung isa dito ano, sabi niya — I did not accept. I did not accept his money. He is a contributor. At sabihin ko na. Lucio Tan. Donor of funds. Sabi ko, “No?”
Sabi ko, “Thank you, but —“ And other guys there. Sabi ko, you are using government buildings, airport, you have a back… back — utang diyan sa runway ‘di mo binabayaran.”
Sabi ko, “You solve the problem yourself. I will give you 10 days. Bayaran mo. ‘Pag hindi mo bayaran, eh ‘di sirahan ko.” Wala nang airport. So what?
Kayo Pilipino have to travel overland from Luzon to Davao. “Basta bayaran mo, huwag mo akong bigyan ng s*** nang ganun.”
I do not mind. If we sink, we sink. But I said, “We have to enforce the law.” So guys, you guys, if you are put into a great discomfort, sorry. Wala akong magawa. The law is the law. It is the law. And that is what makes me unpopular itong mga… Eh alam mo na. Nandito sila.
So bigyan. Hindi man lang mag-imbestiga. Why would I kill a child? For what purpose? Why would…? Do you know that the other guy who was killed — I forgot the name, there’s the other one, delos Santos ba ‘yun? He was my relative actually. They come all from Leyte. Baybay. Yeah, related to me.
Would you ever think that I enjoy police killing my relative, an innocent relative at… I’m not talking about this case to equate it with I said what I just illustrated to you about how it is being done — how the issue of teen killing came about.
Alam mo, it’s not only the police and the military that are interested in solving the problem. Me? I’m just a citizen of — an ordinary citizen. If [inaudible] to scratch around and lure my — the children of neighborhood.
I want to defend the — you know, the children. That is why I give to you now my — that is our covenant. The six million, those of us who follow democracy, the voice of the people is the voice of God.
So why do I have an 86 percent acceptance? The American think-tank says, yeah, 86. Published in the newspapers. I think tomorrow — rather yesterday. Then do you agree with the campaign of Duterte against war on drugs? It says there. Well, 76 percent.
And to think that what is in their mind is what is being harped on by the opposition. And by these foreigners, “Plah plah plah plah plah.” So the Filipinos will question “Do you agree how it is being done by Duterte?” 76 percent yield “Yes.” So what is that scenario?
The scenario that’s being painted by the other side. And the fo — the foreign publication. ‘Yan kasama na ‘yang patay ko, kasi pinapatay ko raw ‘yung bata ko. Yes. Why? Why? Because the Filipino people is really [inaudible].
The drug problem has been here. He knows na… I’ll tell you, Parojinog. Mayor Parojinog was hanging on to power using the Office of the Mayor as his platform. He killed everybody who ran against him. Have him killed to stay in power. He even killed the policemen who did not agree with him.
That is why when he was gone and there were a lot of diggings because everybody started to squeak and we found the bones of the — still in their uniforms. That is why I had to deal with Parojinog the way that the law says.
You serve a warrant, do not follow that day or night. You cannot catch a killer during the day because he does not show his face, it’s only during night. Kasi there’s a — warrants have to be served and practicable only in daytime. What kind of [inaudible] is that?
Serve it anytime. Time it when he’s there. He got killed. So we go now to the [inaudible] his son, who’s wanted. So look what… The cameras went in, all of these guys. The wallpaper of his house was 500 pesos all on the wall. He made the money a wallpaper of his house. Tapos lahat palasyo.
Talagang palasyo. They were really… I really do not know. It’s almost obscene to… And every policeman there was corrupt. So I had to go there and told them to assemble in front of me. “You f*** guys. Do not f*** with me. P***** i** kayo,” sabi ko. “Do not ever think that the gun you’re holding there will protect you.”
But I hear another… So as with the Albuera Mayor. Si Albuera was running. Coming from Mindanao, si Odicta. And si Mabilog, the Mayor of Iloilo I said, “You are a God d*** protector.” Hindi ko sinasabi nagluluto siya. He was correct. He was not a producer of drugs.
But you know when the police says — ‘yan ang ayaw ko eh. ‘Pag sinabi ng Mayor, “Huwag mong pakialam ‘yan, leader ko ‘yan.” Ganun ‘yan eh. Kaya ‘pag ang Mayor — pati ‘yung graft and corruption. I see a lot of municipal auditors, treasurers diyan in tatters.
Some of them I know way, way back. Sabi ko, “what happens to you?” “Sir, pupunta ako sa ano, hingi ako tulong sana. Pamasahe lang.” Bakit… When the mayor “signed here”. Wala na. Automatic ‘yan.
So when the time comes, the mayor pays the prosecutor or some of the Ombudsman there, ‘yung mga investigators. Graft but that leaves the poor guy. They’re there and then. Although they did nothing, they have to face everything. ‘Yan ang Philippines.
So I don’t know but the only way to… Look Imee, I do not talk your dialect. Bingbong here same, you come from a different place. Me? I have a Maranao grandmother and a Chinese grandfather, mother side. My father side is a Cebuano.
Some of you talk. Davao, but… Tagalog, Bisaya, Zamboangeño, Davaoeño, we all talk in different… We do not share the same menu. We have a specialty that’s peculiar to our tongue.
What keeps us here tonight? What is the unifying factor in the Filipino? It’s the Philippine Constitution signed by our forefathers that we will be one. [applause] That keeps us united. You start to destroy the Constitution, there will be a breakage of our society.
Maraming salamat po. [applause]
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