(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 GATHERING WITH
DAVAO MEDIA
[Delivered at Matina Enclaves, Davao City | 22 September 2017]
I have the list here of [inaudible] from the media present here this evening tonight to break bread with me. Nandidito kayo kumakain. Tsaka buong PSG, sabay-sabay kumain sa atin. Hindi ko na lang basahin tutal kilala ko naman kayo.
Nagkaroon na ako ng amnesia kung… nung nakita ko si ano — Anyway, ito totoo. I’d like to welcome you all. I’m glad to see you. I’m sorry that our lines have not been very smooth because I am not really a distant star to you now but access is the word. Very hard.
And because of bureaucratic grid, g-r-i-d. And the… Well, of course the safety concerns of the Presidential Security. Eh ma-ano sila eh. They’re so tight. They’re on a tight outfit and they’re really supposed to guard me.
Well anyway, I have something for you tonight. I’ll just pass it on to — Listahan ng… ‘yung paano. That’s for public consumption already. ‘Yung how they operated the drug campaign in Marawi and the entire of Mindanao.
You would say there that — Malaman mo na. That is the work of the intelligence for the last three months or two when we were able to penetrate the in — [Or how would you call it?] The insides of the, the entrails of the city.
There they discovered that the Maute was really preparing for a long haul. Until now, they are… they never ran out of ordnance, explosives, ammunitions, and all. I really do not know the extent now of the contamination.
But they have a trouble drawing up somewhere in — Kaya sabi ko bitawan na natin, it’s no use keeping it a secret, for what. We cannot [consume it?]. That would explain really… the so many killings here.
And it’s always a question of thought. It has crept, it’s creeping and at the time when Albuera Mayor Espinosa, then the Odicta spouses were killed, I don’t know how it was done.
But makita mong that they are really fighting over supremacy of the supply. Kasi alam mo ‘yung illegal, whether or not you want to believe it, always the driving force is greed and power, money.
But to what extent was this drug used to build up the terrorist activity is something which we have really to find. Until now, hindi pa — It’s not… A blurred. It remains to be something like… they are just there fighting but there were a lot of Arabs fighting, enemy.
And there are remaining, about four or five on the side of the enemy and they are holding out somewhere in a certain place. And they are slowly being constricted to a very, very narrow path. We will… We’re winding up.
But whether or not [Hapilon] or si… Itong… But you would say that they are a distant star doon sa main protagonist. ‘Yung… ‘yung listahan, ‘yun talaga ‘yung mga sa gobyerno.
That is why I said Mindanao and the Visayas almost fell into the hands of narco-state. Luzon remains a volatile area. At sinasabi ko na, na ‘yung patayan diyan, wala tayong pakialam.
And to disbelieving eyes, especially those who want to see you out of office, they would insist of their own theory. Nakita na ninyo, I think it’s on TV, how a crazed guy was brandishing a knife and going around his place.
Nakita na rin ninyo ‘yung injunction ko sa police. The guy was being stabbed and it badly wounded but he was just parrying the thrusts of the crazed… It was not until he fell down and he really felt that he was going to lose his life, he fired twice.
‘Yun na naman talaga ang order ko. Now it has been demonstrated publicly. And before that, in the place where Kian was killed, there was a raid and the entry guys, the one who’d go in first, were fully protected. May ano sila. But tinamaan sa ulo. Marami, pati ‘yung heroes natin na tinamaan ng sniper.
I do not have their names now, but in the fullness of God’s time, we will have some sense of law and order there. And you’d be free to go there and tignan ninyo how the extent of — Wala kaming matrix ngayon to clearly establish the links.
But definitely, as I have said, even when I was Mayor, I’ve been telling you and everybody, I just don’t know why na hindi sila nakikinig, that terrorism, it’s not Islam. It is not the work of a believer of Islam.
I should know that. You know my roots. I’d be the last person to condemn the Moro people. As a matter of fact, I’ve rumbled on to something else. We continue to hang on to the talks because I believe that historically, they were the pride of the [inaudible].
And that is why we continue to talk to Murad and Nur. Murad was in Malacañan or my office at dito si Nur. And I appealed to them that the failure of this agreement would result in a slaughter of everybody.
I said, “Nobody wins.” Just like in Marawi. Wala tayong panalo doon. Puro Pilipino ‘yun. And because of an alien ideology, ‘yung ISIS that drove them to some kind of a devil’s den. Doon sila nag-aral ng ISIS. It’s pure terrorism. It does not even refer to…
It takes the name of Allah in vain. Just imagine, killing innocent women, children, and all. And you shout the name of Allah. Hindi ‘yan. It’s not a religious thing here.
It never has been. It is not now. It’s pure terrorism. And I assure you that government, well under my term, ‘di talaga ako papayag. Not only because I have children who are — Sila Omar, who are mga half-Tausug, half-Maranao. Ako, a little of Maranao.
And that would really give me the reason to pursue what would be a peaceful place for all of us. Hindi ako aatras diyan sa terrorism. That is really the end for us, so be it. Basta ako, terrorism and criminality.
Ayaw lang nila maniwala. Would I be crazy to invite the Human Rights Commission of the UN and EU? Pumunta kayo dito at establish or create an office here. Be with the policemen that they are on a, maybe operation.
At makita ninyo. Para makita ninyo. Kasi ‘yung patayan, kagaya nung nandyan. How would I now explain them, the many of people in that matrix there? Na sabi nila na patay dito, patay doon.
Puro kita ng patay, anak ng — Sasabihin nila na lahat trabaho ‘to ng gobyerno. Well, in those legitimate operations. In Mindanao, I have lost so many of my soldiers fighting the drug war.
Doon sa Central Mindanao, every raid, ang unang pumupunta is the military. Hindi kaya ng pulis because they do not have the armaments and the — ‘Yung talagang how to attack. And yet maraming namamatay.
To date, hundreds already of drug-connected deaths of the AFP. Pulis, marami rin. Alam ninyo eh. Everywhere you carry the news, so you should know. Kasi sa mga lugar na ‘yan, ang kaharap ng mga pulis is mga M-16, machine guns, or mga RR or the repeating rif — Meron sila niyan. Nakita namin sa Marawi, klase-klaseng armas.
They have the Barrett which can hit you 1.5 kilometers away. Marami silang Barrett. Now, alam na ng mga tonto kung paano kahirap magtrabaho ng isang worker of government trying to solve all of these problem.
We, dito sa Manila area. They still continue to do it but it’s a turf war. Alam na namin ‘yun more or less. Ang problema kasi nitong shabu, just like this paper, illegal possession of paper, you have to have the paper.
Or at least on a table that is controlled by you. In the same manner, you must have a grip of the shabu in your hands. Or you are in the warehouse owned by you and you are maybe redistributing the supply in smaller amounts.
Mahirap paniwalaan itong mga tao na obsessed ng power. I think that they cannot understand why they lost. And they lost to a person from Mindanao, who had only about three governors — Governor Amante of North Agusan, Zubiri who said that he will pray for me and he was.
Sa Visayas, wala ako. And to think na galing… taga-diyan ako. Even in Cebu, even in Danao, wala akong ni isang barangay captain. But of course I won there overwhelmingly. That’s the funny story. Luzon, I had only Abet Garcia and Imee.
And I got a whooping margin over Roxas by six million. ‘Di nila maintindihan ‘yun, kasi ‘yung pera na ginastos nila. And they want to regain power.
If I were you, if there’s a new party that will emerge from this political mess of ours, go for it. ‘Yung matitino or seek your own generational charts.
You build mga bagong ano… mga bagong — Go for traditional De Lima and the rest. Ito si De Lima, she was really… Naloko niya tayong lahat.
Look at it, the Trillanes, sinadya ko talaga ‘yun. If you’d look at it, look at it. Pareho ‘yung numero except that I dropped one or two. Alam kong kakagat siya eh.
Wala eh, nandiyan na rin, malapit na sa totoo, nakikita niyo ‘yung numero, malapit na eh. It was just a matter of number, one.
Kaya nga nung papunta na ako doon, kaya umamin siya na, “Ito ang totoo.” Sinabi ko, well in advance, that ‘yung mga deposito, I will reveal it. Hintay lang kayo. And the names of the partners, I will reveal it. ‘Yung mga account niya kung saan-saan.
Marami ‘yan, maliliit. Kasi pag magdeposito ka nang malaki, mag-red flag ‘yan. Try to deposit for 500. 500, 2,000 tomorrow. ‘Di ba mag.. Paupuin ka muna ng manager. “Halika sandali, sir. Salamat sa… You patronize my bank but where did you get the money?”
Lalo na sa labas. Kaya ang nagbigay diyan, actually alam niya. Alam niya kung sinong nagbigay. Sabi ko, “It’s a foreign state.” Alam niya. Kaya para hindi siya maipit, he had to admit one and to say that mine was a falsity.
Kita mo kung hindi siya. Alam niya eh. Isang numero lang, dalawang numero ang diperensya eh. Malapit na ‘to. At saka ‘yung kinuha niya na certification, the bank will never do that. No bank in the Philippines would ever do that.
Ang name mo plus account, ganun? Gawa-gawa lang niya ‘yun. Tapos sabihin niya, gumastos siya sa media. Ang malas niya, hindi na ninyo… hindi niya kayo sinali.
Kung sinali kayo sana doon sa junket, just forget all about it. Tutal alam mo na this guy is [inaudible]. ‘Yung people hungry for power, kita mo naman. Dinaan ng… Makita mo ‘yung track record niya.
Dumaan na mutinee, nagpapreso, nag-raise ng funds because of the sympathy, anti-graft exponent, tumakbo. Marunong talaga mag… He’s that scheming.
Ang akin naman, the one thing — I’m a President of the country and I can, you know, console people to say — sige para matatapos na itong alitan natin, eh let us book together.
Galit ‘yang mga ‘yan sa money laundering. Ako… Sabi ko sa iyo, “You show any bank account, foreign and I will step down tomorrow.” Ganyan gawin ko ngayon. Eh sinabi ko na ang totoo, you are all witnesses to my career.
I have more or less in the bank. It could be… Masobra ng 500,000 something or below. Pero mababa ‘yun. Almost nearing 500. That was my last. At tingnan ‘yan nila.
Ito, for all to know. You go back to the trace of… you have to trace it. You have to start with the… at Bank of Asia. ‘Yung predecessor ng ‘yung kay Aboitiz. The Insular Bank. ‘Yung Davao Light. ‘Yun ‘yung UnionBank ‘yung ano. Noon, this is Bank of… Insular Bank of Asia.
You have to compute it… because that was the time that we divided our properties when my father died. ‘Yung lupa ng [unclear] Kamalas lang niya [unclear] Away nang away ang magkapatid. I don’t know what’s — Sayang.
‘Yung lupa na ‘yan. Just beside that ice plant, it was ours. You know what was very… Umabot ang ice plant noon. Makuha ka ng congressional franchise. Kaya kung nabigyan ka niyan, parang masolo mo.
Ours was there was this lot — Carriedo. Noon, magkuha ka lang, hindi mo makuha sa ano ‘yun… business permit. Doon na sa congressman. Utilization of natural resources ‘yan.
Kaya mabenta ‘yung ice mo. ‘Yung mga fish dealer, ‘yung mga restaurant. So when we divided, we had our first millions already. Marami pa man buhay diyan. Pati ‘yung manager niya.
‘Yung mga UnionBank, ‘yun ‘yun. Makita ni Trillanes na… Saka ‘yung mga lupa, hereditary properties lang ‘yun.
Alam ninyo niyan because that was the cases — [inaudible] my father to file a case against… Then when he was… filed a case of libel. When they were hearing it in the fiscal’s office, doon inatake ang tatay ko.
‘Yung ang… Maari bang ikinamatay ng tatay ko. For hearing a case they filed against kasi beyond title. But those titles now are in the name of my children. Lahat ng properties, pati ‘yung… ‘Yung ice plant, papuntang Dacoville and almost a [inaudible].
Kaya pinagbili kasi nag-away-away eh. Alam nila, alam niyo ‘yung nakasuroy. Nag-away-away kaming magkapatid. Kaya sabi ko, “Sell.” Para… abogado na ako. Wala namang — Noon pa, long ago, I was just a student, fourth year. I already had about three million.
Kasi pinagbintanga… ‘Yung [unclear] diyan sa… amin ‘yan. That used to be ours. Sold. Tapos nag logging-logging rin.
So sana ma-ano lang ninyo. If you want really to trace my money, start from there. It’s a not… Ibigay na nila, tapos na ‘yang bangko na ‘yun. I’m sure that they have the records.
‘Yun ang… Tapos dagdag-dagdag. Over the years pero gastos. I assure you, almost… It’s either 505, 510, hindi mag-abot ng six.
‘Yan ang problema sa magtakbo ka nang takbo ng presidente tapos wala kang pera. Sabi ko na sa inyo, huwag kayong pumasok diyan kasi mapipilitan ka talaga.
No money was coming our way because nobody believed that I would win. Mapipilitan kang… and to rent even if it’s a junketeer thing, pumapara sa… mawalaan ng brake sa highway ‘yung jet na maluwang.
It’s a 198— [Basta more than ‘to Bong? Kadtong jet nga daan?] Oo. More than 1984, gamitin mo. Para na ako, kasakay pa ang ‘tong [unclear] ko. Mawalaan ng brake. Buti’t na lang mataas ‘yung runway. Totoo.
Mura eh. Pero libre crash. [laughter] Oo, last time naputol ‘yung cable. Anong ginawa ng…
Totoo ‘yan ah. Punta ka ng airport. Magtanong ka. Ang ginamit nilang kable, ‘yung terminal ng… ‘yung kinuha na… kinuha nila sa baterya ng… ‘yung Ford Fiera na luma.
Connect-connect lang. Take off kami. Pauwi kami galing sa ano na… [Ano tawag doon? Mag-tawa kayo?] Lagi kayong binobola. Kaso totoo. Maliit masyado ‘yan.
The first moment, pauwi na kami doon. Eh kasi busy masyado ‘yang airport natin. We were told to land, find some airport somewhere kasi last kami. Sabi ng piloto, “Wala na tayong gasolina.” Kaya… Nag-ano ‘yun, Mayday, Mayday na rin. And there was a thunderstorm at that time.
Saka ipinagbawal kami. “Lumayo muna kayo.” In the midst of the thunderstorm, sabihin ko, “Magla-landing tayo nito.” Eh piloto ako eh, rather than run out of gasoline, might as well try your luck.
You should experience what a thunderstorm is one of these days. Even once in your life. Makita mo kung paano — Your like there inside a laundry, washing machine. Those are the anecdotes, because they are really true. Hindi naman ako… Kasi wala naman akong… Wala akong obligasyon kanino man na magsinungaling. Wala naman akong tinatago. I live a simple life. Alam ng mga sundalo ‘yan.
Kaya I cannot go out anymore maski sa After Dark. Kay sabi nila mag-parking ka diyan ng car bomb, sasabog ka. So hindi na diyan. Hindi naman ako makapunta kung saan-saan kasi dudumugin ako even in Manila. Talagang dudumugin ako kahit saan.
In Malacañang, if you want to see me anytime, anytime of the day or night, nandiyan lang ako. Kaya sabi ko kay minsan, it’s a very… Gusto ko ng… kay kung nanalo ‘yan si Cayetano, magresign ako.
No, not because of ‘yung mga atake-atake. Kakapagod. Kakapagod magsakay ng lantsa, punta ka ng alas dos. But my day starts after lunch, tapos babalik ka pagka gabi, pagod ka na. Kaya ako natuto mag-inom ng gatas.
Walang gana eh, palit og gatas. Minsan, hamburger. Masarap. Punta kayo Malacañang kung kakain kayo ng hamburger. Masarap magluto ng hamburger ‘yung cook doon.
Anyway, let us resume our eating. I’m just prolonging the things so that. Kasi pag tinanong ko ‘yung mga security, mga pulis, hindi pa raw sila kumain. Sabi ko “Sabay tayong kumain.”
[Ha? Wala? Si? Ah, oo, naa? [inaudible] medyo bugal bugalon man na. Wa na’y pili sa Moro, tanan, yaga-yagaan. Huwag kang mag yaga-yaga p***** i** mabaril ka. Saka sila. Share our… Saan sila?]
Ito sila Jimmy Bondoc. They volunteered their services, free. Nakilala ko lang ‘yan sila. Nandiyan na sa stage. Freddie Aguilar texted me na, “I made a new song for you.” Punta ka sa ano… Kaya ganun na lang ang utang na loob..
Ito si Jimmy, talagang kakilala ko. Jim…
— END —
