(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 THE 55TH METROBANK ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
[Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Manila, BGC, Taguig City |
05 September 2017]
[start of audio]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Otherwise kung kulungin mo ako, kung ako sa Marcos, bakit ko isauli?
They’d rather reserve it for my children and grandchildren. ‘Di ba?
Q: Opo, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kung ako ang Marcos, eh kung ‘yung torpe nagsabi [inaudible] ako. I’m asking you, kung isauli ko tapos kulungin mo ako, eh ikaw payag ka?
Q: So, sir…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sabihin na lang ni Marcos, “no deal”. We’ll shut up. Sige hanapin ninyo kung mahanap ninyo.
Q: So, sir, ‘yun pong iniisip natin is a deal with the Marcoses outside of the existing cases in the Sandiganbayan being held by the PCGG?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, because ma-ano ‘yan, we have to look into the bank accounts and everything, and I said a law should provide.
If I were the Marcoses, kung isauli ko lang naman ‘yan, sabihin ko — sabihin ko sa kanila maghingi kayo ng immunity. Otherwise keep the God d*** money at baka makukulong ka pa. Isauli mo na makulong ka. I’m a lawyer.
Q: So sir, la… Last na lang, sir, amenable po tayo na ‘yung tinitingnan natin na deal isosoli? Lahat po ba ito, sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sabi ko nga eh hindi ako niyan eh. It should be coming from the Central Bank, Finance and Congress.
Q: Sir, amenable tayo na iwe-waive na ‘yung criminal liability?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I… It’s not my — It is not my take.
Q: Okay.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I cannot grant it. It is only Congress.
Q: Pero, sir, as a matter of principle, on your part, do you think, sir, parang…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I — I will take a neutral stand.
Q: Okay. All right, sir. Thank you for your time, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Bigyan mo ng immunity, fine. Hindi mo bigyan ng immunity, fine. But walang perang isauli ‘yan. Then you’ll have to look for — to the ends of the earth to — to get them.
Q: Sir, i-rephrase ko ‘yung question. When Governor Marcos mentioned returning a few gold bars and some of the wealth…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Isn’t a few. Basta sinabi niya sa huli. It was not more or few.
Q: Oho. Ibig bang — Sir, nung sinabi niya ‘yun…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Yan mahirap diyan sa ano, kasi ‘yung third, fourth, sa fifth statement eh. It is an added word taken or another word added.
Q: Pero, sir, when — when he mentioned — she mentioned it, sinabi na ba niya, ang kapalit nito, sir, ay wala nang…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. They did not ask any immunity. And I could not guarantee it also.
Q: All right, sir. Thank you.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I know that I’m not the proper authority to do that.
Q: Sir, good evening po. Pulong and Mans Carpio are attending the Senate hearing. Ano po expectation natin? Similar pa rin po ba ‘yung advice natin sa kanila?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. I will not advise anything to the Marcoses. They are better off listening to their lawyer.
I am just a friend, because I know them from way, way back. Si Marcos noon-noon, when we were young, we were riding the motorcycles, the big bike. And we used to tour the Philippines on big bike.
That is why he is my friend. But it ends there. And it does not creep into any other fields of endeavors that they may have taken during the Presidency of his father.
Q: Sir, i-clarify ko lang po. Kay Pulong po at tsaka kay Mans Carpio. A-attend po sila ng hi — Senate hearing.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. They should. They should.
Q: Ah, ano po expectation natin, sir, sa…?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. I cannot, because no expectation. I would leave it to the lawyers. Because if I give an expectation, media will begin to speculate. Ganun ‘yan eh. I have to be very careful.
I — I do not… He has his own lawyer. He’s about 38, 37 years old. He’s old enough to know and he can take care of his problem.
I do not speculate. I do not give him advice. I just said, “Kung wala ka talagang kasalanan, ‘bat hindi ka pumunta doon?”
Now, Trillanes has been throwing garbage to my family even during the election. Kasali na ‘yan si Pulong. At that time, hindi pa ako Presidente, smuggler na ‘yan.
Sabi ko nga, 18 years old, nagtanan ‘yan, and the business of the wife, she’s a Maranao, pati itong sa barter trade in Jolo.
Q: Sir, kahapon po, you met with the leadership of the MILF. Na-address po ba ‘yung concerns nila about the BBL?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. I — I said that I hope the BBL would pass Congress. I said that I will husband it.
And I’m trying to convince everybody that it is for our own — to our national interest that we start changing the unitary type into a federal type.
And that was — that’s being asked by the Visayas and Mindanao for the longest time, an equal sharing of the wealth of the nation, the taxes and all. Kaya mga probinsiya and that’s why some of them are rebellious.
Q: May na-pinpoint na po ba kung sino ‘yung…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kasi ‘yung mga mina, ang may-ari, taga-dito. Sila Gutierrez, sila lahat, taga-Maynila.
Ang taga-Mindanao, walang — walang gold mine. The gold mine are owned by the rich families here in Manila.
Kaya ganun. Kaya ang Moro, ang kanila, trabaho lang. But the wealth is not theirs. It’s a big cor — mining corporations into open-pit mining, which is very dangerous environmental activity. Tama si Gina diyan. Last — yesterday, I asked General Cimatu, who is the Secretary of the DENR, to look into the eventual closure of the open-pit mining.
I agree with Gina Lopez. That that has to stop some time. But I’ll give the mining companies enough elbow room to make [inaudible] on eventual change or the modality of getting what’s inside the bowels of the earth.
Q: Thank you, sir.
Q: Sir, kanina po, sa pagdinig po ng Senado, hindi na rin po nakatiis si PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa na maging emotional po ano? At siya po’y napaiyak. Hindi po ito unang pagkakataon lang, Mr. President. Sa tingin niyo po ba, nakakaramdam na rin po ng matinding pressure talaga ang…?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. I think he’s hurt that ‘yung policy na — itong pangalawang namatay. Do you think two killings, even if it’s illegal, would make a policy?
Dalawang patay. Palagay na natin, pinatay — murder o… I asked Hontiveros, “Is that already a policy? Is that the baseline of a policy?” Paka-bobo naman niya.
Kaya umiyak ‘yung tao nga eh. It’s an insult na sabihin it’s a policy of the police to kill. There are so many criminal minds, even in the Liberal Party.
Sila, the record of plunder and also killing, you make a comparison. ‘Yung sa kanila, ‘yung killings noon, well, hindi [inaudible], because it’s not… Wala, pulis takot, wala. Even the drugs, they were all silent.
So, when I became President, sinabi ko sa Pilipino, “This is how widespread the drug is.” Wala man silang…
Bakit ba? ‘Yung limang pinatay doon sa Bulacan, na pati ‘yung one-year-old na bata pinakialaman, pinatay. Why is that… Why don’t I hear… I do not hear her crying or even complaining that the police are not doing enough.
Tapos, they pick up… Eleksyon eh. Politika. They’re crazily into it. And even before the elections, may assignment ‘yan siya. She was assigned with a group, I would not name them now. But, nakuha ko ‘yang mga conversations nila.
Q: Sir, dapat bang parang ma-demoralize naman ang ating pambansang pulisya, dahil…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi ma-demoralize. The police will never be demoralized. Our soldiers will never be demoralized as long as I’m there.
Basta sinabi ko, “in the performance of duty”. It means to say that your life is in danger and you have to save yourself. Now, if they have committed an excess of that duty, then they shall go to jail.
But that — you ask two killings, and you say that’s a policy? That’s a silly question. Oh, why can’t you just say, “what is the policy of the police when confronting —?”
Ang problema sa inyo, ‘yung pinapakialaman niyo, ‘yung patayan, ‘yung magamit ninyo sa politika.
For example, trying hard to get the cadaver of the — ‘yung Kian — to parade it to EDSA. Politikang barrio.
Q: May balak po ba kayong parang banggitin kay Bato, sir, na baka, parang nape-pressure na po siya dito sa nangyayari?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala. Continue with your work. Confront the criminals. In the performance of your duty, then make the arrest, and if there is a serious violent resistance, overcome that resistance. Why? Because you have to bring him to the court or bring him to the police station.
You have to overcome. Otherwise, there is no arrest. ‘Pag sinabi mo, “I… You are under arrest,” “Oh, sige ano?” That is why people who resist arrest, talagang biniboldyakan, because the law — ‘pag hindi alam ni Hontiveros, for her listening pleasure — when the police arrest you, it’s the duty of the criminal to surrender and to bring — the police to bring him to the station.
‘Pag ayaw, then the police has to forcibly grapple with him bodily, para — kaya tinatamaan, nabubugbog. What do you expect?
Kung lumaban — kung lumaban, magsuntok sa pulis, pagdating doon, kuha ng medical certificate, “Oh, eh may tama ito dito sa rib.” If you resist arrest, then that’s the, that’s the — that’s the consequence.
Well, ayaw ninyong maniwala — sinasabi ko na ‘yan. So ‘yung mga durugista, wala akong — I’m not attributing to any particular incident or person. But those criminals, lalo na ‘yung mga tuliling na sa droga, may armas talaga ‘yan.
I suggest to the police to bring the hoards of media in their operation. Dadalhin mo lahat ng media, sige mag-linya kayo diyan, tingnan ninyo at we will try to make an arrest and see what develops.
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Eh, mas mabuti, pagitna kayo. So that is my advice to the police. If there — if it is the unbelieving, make them believe. Dalhin mo. Tawagan mo ang ABS-CBN, “Hala, tana.” Mga reporters, Rappler sige. “Abante ka, kayo mauna.”
Tingnan natin. O kayo ang mabaril, eh ‘di, ayaw pa kaya ninyong maniwala na walang mga baril ‘yan. Hala sige.
Next time, I’m ordering. Now, this is an order: Bring the media at paunahin mo sila so that they can get the story from the beginning to the end. Kasi kung papasukin lang at tapos na ang barilan, sabi naman niyo, “Ah, tinapunan lang ‘yan ng baril diyan.”
Kaya dapat, sabay kayo sa pulis. Now, sabihin niyo, “Bakit kami?” Ah, journalism. Bravery under — in the interest of the truth.
‘Yung pulis ganyan sinabi ko: Do not make raids now without the media. Pero, see to it that it is — if it’s a camera, if there’s a reporter, see to it that they are there in the beginning up to the end.
Katabi kayo ng pulis. O sige. ‘Yan ang order ko. At kayong mga media, na gusto ninyong maraming isulat, firsthand experience. Palagay ko naman, ‘di kayo babarilin ng mga adik. Siguro, ‘yung mga naka-uniporme lang.
Why don’t you try to experience the work of a police? One… One swallow makes a summer? Two killings makes it a policy of the Republic of the Philippines? Bakit kami mag-patay ng inosente?
Tama ka na diyan, Rappler. Sige ka’g senyas-senyas. Ikaw dapat mauna. To the police, better invite Pia sa Rappler. Parang Teflon ang katawan nito.
Ah, sige ikaw naman. Ah, she’s my friend. Uy, mga adik, ‘pag makita niyo ito sila, huwag ninyong barilin ah?
Q: Sir… Sir, just on the issue of the drug war. So sir, there was a recent death again of a teenager from Caloocan, si Carl Angelo Arnaiz. Sir, we just want to get your opinion on the matter. Do you think…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala ako, ano — basta nabasa ko lang sa newspaper.
Q: Sir, do you…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I would like… I would like to invite you again. There’s a guy who wrote about the drug history of Latin America, Grillo? Ioan Grillo. He’s here. And be there because I’ll tell you what is happening why there’s a flood of drugs in this country. Sasabihin ko sa inyo. I’ll just give you a tickler.
Q: Pero, sir, just back on si Arnaiz, sir. Sir, do you think his case is similar to Kian delos Santos’ case?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I said I cannot respond to you because I have never… I cannot think of what you are thinking because I cannot think of what happened. So I cannot think also what to answer.
Q: Sir, ito na lang, sir. Just your reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision to junk Bongbong Marcos’ motion questioning the integrity of the elections? Sir, what do you think of it?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: What again?
Q: Sir, ‘yung Supreme Court junked the motion of Bongbong Marcos who was questioning ‘yung integrity of the 2016 elections. Part po siya ng electoral protest ni Former Senator Bongbong. Do you agree with the decision? Do you dispute it?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala akong nabasa pa, honestly. Wala pa akong nabasa.
I was working on state documents. It took me until six o’clock including the promotion of so many soldiers and police.
Eh binabasa ko ‘yan eh. So I have to know who is my policeman there and who are my soldiers.
Q: Sir, last na. Sir, ‘yung cancellation po ng assignment ni Jovie Espenido from Iloilo. Sir, you agreed to this?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Look, I did not say that you should be there as a chief of police. Alam ko wala pa siyang ranggo. Ako nagpipirma ako ng appointment pati promotion.
Sinabi ko lang, “Gusto mo ang assignment mo doon?” Maybe I said — doon Police Station commander lang naman siya. Hindi naman siya ang police…
When he was in Ozamiz, he was not really the — may police chief doon. In-assign lang siya para solbahin ang stranglehold ng droga.
Q: So, sir, you are saying that one day you will assign him to Iloilo but not as police chief?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I can assign him anywhere. As a matter of fact I can order him to report — but not as a police chief. Mabuti pa si Mabilog nag-tulong na, nag-offer ng one… Bilib ako kay Mabilog, Mayor.
Q: Nag-offer, sir, ng ano?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Di ba nag-offer siya ng one million?
Q: For?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: For anybody who can identify or pick the drug people there in Iloilo. Hindi niyo alam ‘yan?
Q: Pero, sir, did he ever talk to you about this, ‘yung clearing his name? Did he ever want to clear his name in front of you?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: What? They don’t… I do not care what their explanation is. When I assign you there, you go there.
Hindi ba ninyo nabasa na he offered one million? I’m trying to ask an honest question sa media, nabasa ninyo o hindi?
Hindi niyo nabasa na he was offering one million kung sinong makaturo ng mga tao? Hindi niyo nabasa ‘yun?
Eh it was in the headline gyud. Paano tayo magkaintindihan dito pati kayo palang media wala ding alam?
Wala, ako bilib ako kay Mabilog kasi — hindi ako nag-iba ang paniwala ko, hindi lang ako — bumilib lang ako sa kanya, kasi matapang siya. Sabi niya, bigyan daw niya ng one million ‘yung taong makapagturo sa kanila ang mga drug people.
Hindi ka bumilib sa kanya? Na bigyan ko kayo ng isang milyon kung mahanap ninyo ako — ako… Bobolahin pa ako ng p***** i** niya. ‘Wag mo akong s****** ng ganun. Katagal ko na sa gobyerno na ito. Ililibing na nga ako eh.
Magbobolohan tayo dito? Kaya my language become — becomes foul, ‘yung mga stili —- mga istilo na ganun.
Ipinatawag ko lahat ‘yung mayor, lahat ng mayor ng Pilipinas in three batches. Pinuntahan ko ‘yan sila, sinabi ko, “Do not f*** with drugs. G****** I will…”
Pati lahat ng governor, pagdating doon sa harap mo, “Wala man, Mayor.” Mayor ang tawag nila sa akin eh, puro man kami mayors.
“Baka — ano lang ‘yan, intriga.” Tapos maririnig ko na lang… Eh bolahin mo ako ng ganun eh.
Kaya bastos ang bunganga ko eh, eh binabastos mo rin ako eh. Kakasabi ko lang sa kanila na huminto.
In that place, no elections for two decades. If you run against them, he’ll kill you. If there are policemen who won’t follow him doon sa drug ano niya, pinapatay niya. Anong klaseng mayor ka?
O kita mo ‘yung hinukay na butas doon, eh nandun ‘yung pulis na missing for four years, ibinaon niya doon. Eh kung ikaw ang Presidente, maligaya ka?
Tapos matakot ka lang diyan sa policy-policy ni Hontiveros? How could that be a policy? Two killings? 110 billion? Two gruesome murders? Bakit solo ba ng mental health ang buang? Marami ding buang diyan sa PNP.
Kaya pati sila sinasali ko. Bakit? Bakit kayo makasabi sa pulis? Ilang pulis ang namamatay araw-araw? I lose two or three soldiers and police everyday, all over the — drug related.
Are they not sad about that? Kaya nakikita ko talaga ang takbo ng utak nitong mga ‘to eh. When a family is massacred because those guys are really crazy after drinking, maghithit — alcohol and shabu goes together — go together. They go together.
Nung namatay wala man lang ni isang statement doon sa — kawawa naman, pati ‘yung bata na one-year-old. You try to balance here.
And ‘yung sa — may mga mali, mali talaga. Pero a — too lousy criminal brains of a policeman or policewoman, does not make a policy.
Pa-ekek na salita. Tapos ‘yung ilang inosente na namatay dito, mga bata ni-rape, I have not heard Hontiveros really cry to the heavens and say, “My God, what’s happening to the innocent people?”
So the next time that you found — find — if somebody found a cadaver there, tanungin mo muna, “Sino ito?” Eh ‘di kung sabihin ‘yung pulis diyan ‘yung g***, eh ‘di…
Kasi ‘yung — ‘yung mga pulis na nasa droga, hindi ko kayo palulusutin. Anak ng… Kayo ang mauna.
Bakit? Namimili ba ako ng sinasabihan ko niyan? Ano bang problema niya? Droga? Mayors, barangay captains, o bakit ayaw niyang umiyak?
Sinasabi mga inosente ganoon. Totoo? Ewan ko. I do not have the result of the investigation.
But for you to cry — masyadong maarte. That’s a pretended grief. Bakit ka naka-ganun? You do not understand the word “pretended grief?” Otherwise known as hypocrisy. Get me?
— END —
