QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Q: Good evening, mayor. Nagsimula na po ‘yung filing ng COC sa Comelec. According to PDEA, may 86 pa na narco-politicians na probably they’ll be filing a COC at the Comelec. Any plan for this one? Are you going to mention their names again so the people may know?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ito ‘yung sa… No, I will not. It’s not a good policy to let know the — to telegraph your intention or what you know about the other fellow, especially in matters of breaking penal laws. No, I will not. We will not in government.
Q: Thank you.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, sir.
Q: Magnitude 6.3 struck in the Bali, Indonesia kung saan nandoon ho kayo. Can you share your experience during that time sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, North Sulawesi is near actually to Mindanao. Bali is down — down going to the beaches of Australia. Malayo. It took me about three hours, 40 minutes even to travel by air.
So wala akong — what I saw on TV is what I have in my mind of the extent of the destruction. But I grieve also that they have to suffer repeatedly itong earthquakes pati tsunamis. Because they say that including the Philippines, we are part of the circle of fire and the tectonic plates in this part of the world, Mother Earth, is most active.
So iyan ho ang ano doon. Nakakaawa lang kasi it comes one after the other. It’s a double whammy for everybody there down south.
Yes ma’am?
Q: Mayor, maayong buntag.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Maayong buntag.
Q: Today is the second day of the filing of the certificate of candidacy. May we know the 12 senatorial line-up for the administration?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Again?
Q: Twelve senatorial candidates for the administration, mayor.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Really? The more the better. Let the — at least there’s a wider choice for the people. Let the best man win.
Q: Okay, in local politics. Can you confirm if former Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte will run as first district congressman, mayor?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I don’t know. Frankly, I have not talked to my son for the longest time, simula nag — well, he has his own family. Maybe he finds few opportunities for me to talk to him.
Alam mo naman ako. I commute Manila-Davao frequently. And only because my residence is here. That I have to con… Nagba-biyahe talaga ako dahil ang bahay ko nandito.
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ma’am, you seem to be floating when you walk. Really.
Q: Mayor, may we know ‘yung clear-cut guidelines po regarding sa rice importation? Kasi meron na ho mga nagpahayag na it might kill the rice industry in the country. So ano ho ba talaga ‘yung ating policy doon sa pag-import ng rice?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, that is for Piñol to come up with a formula. Maybe during harvest time or a later period after that. There must be a space for the local products to be consumed — bought and consumed.
Then after comes the lean months which we have also to consider. The stomach come first. So the policy of the government is to keep the people, not from — keep them away from hunger.
So we have to import, whether we like it or not and we have to plan. But frankly, I do not think that we will be rice sufficient. I don’t know if — in the years to come.
Our choices — land for palay has been taken over by… You know, there’s two theories there. Most of the prime lands down south and even the upland rice noon, ‘yung mga Dinorado which was a very delicious carbohydrate. Iyon ang tinatawag nila na food crop.
The problem is ‘yung mga large tracts of land have been converted into cash crop, export. Lahat ‘yan. So cash crop pati food crop.
Ngayon, because of the not so predictable weather now. It has affected really rice planting. So I don’t know if it is now a truism but climate change maybe has really — has made more storms violent and longer periods of dry and wet season.
Iyan ho ang ano talaga diyan. It’s the food crop plus the cash crop. We cannot control unless we expropriate but that is not a good way of doing it in governance na kukunin mo ‘yung lupa na saan naman marami nagtatrabaho.
But since it’s the agricultural sector. But that in the Philippines, frankly, the weakest link sa ating economy is the agricultural sector.
We can only hope that — i-balance mo talaga ‘yan. That’s the job of Piñol. And I hope he will do his homework well in the years to come. As I have said in the Cabinet meeting, I thought that problem would never confront me. So that early on I appointed people, precisely to meet the challenges of rice shortage.
But would you believe it or not, it really happened and — I was the first one who ordered the importation. Merong gusto, merong hindi. And I said, look if your inventory is that high, you make it up there. Anyway, kakainin ‘yan eh. It might be old stock but ano — ‘yung first come, first out ‘yan.
Rather than people visibly viewing empty warehouses, hindi na tayo — hindi na pwedeng malugi tayo. I said I could sell at a lower price. Kung baga, matagal na. But that was what I was lectured — lecturing them on. From my native talent, just observing since I was a little boy. Meron din kaming rice land noon na-expropriate. Coconut lands na-expropriate.
So my mother willingly — nobody interested in our family to be a farmer. So nanay ko, sabi niya, bigay na lang natin.
Q: Sir, ‘yung — are we expecting more revamp in the Cabinet? Iyong mga who will replace who? May mga…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: There has to be replacement because there are positions to be vacated. I have already appointed si Rolly Bautista ng Army.
Now the reason for my penchant in appointing military officers or ex-military officers, I have said it several times. This is not to condemn or belittle the bureaucracy but up there sa itaas — I don’t mind how they perform down. As long as I have one there, pagka sinabi ko na, “Gawain mo ‘yan, gawin mo.”
And I had a very bad experience with a — a certain department. True to my — what I said, I had to — I had to argue and debate with them for two days until I got mad. Talagang b****** s*** ko.
For the first time na nag — uminit talaga ‘yung ulo ko. Eh sabi ko na, ito na ang gawin eh. You know, kasi ‘yung pera ng national government are supposed to be neutral. Hindi mo pwedeng i-devolve ‘yan sa mayor kasi gagamitin ‘yan ng politika. Sabihin niya, “Galing ito sa akin.”
And that would prejudice or put advantage to the other candidates which is not a good example of democracy. Pati ‘yung ibang mga mayor, gusto nila ng bodega nila, doon ilagay, i-preposition ‘yung mga goods na relief, in case of crisis.
I objected to that again. Kasi una, well of course hindi sila. Iyong mga tao na may experience as mayor for 23 years ganun nga. And I hate — in my years, I never claimed any right over isang piso sa…
Sabi ko, “Kayo lang. It’s your, it’s your…” You give it directly. You call the mayor, the councilor, vice mayor, barangay captain. O ikaw ang magbigay then they make sure that the persons receiving are truly the beneficiaries.
Kay kung mayor lang, tawagin lang niya ‘yung tao niya. So with the vice mayor and everybody. And that is not a good practice. You play politics with — sinabi ako tapos na ako na sa politika. I cannot run again so I’m not into politicking and besides I’ve never done it when I was mayor. Delicadeza.
I may have a [garbled] mouth, uncontrollable mouth. Pero in terms of values, sumunod tayo sa kung ano ‘yung tama. Nobody should take advantage or give an advantage to other. What will happen to the others who would run to — demokrasya ‘to.
Eh ‘yung sweldo niya, sweldo niya. Eh ‘yung intelligence fund niya kung ibulsa niya, ganun ang ginagawa. And other funds.
But at least during sa panahon ko, huwag.
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Thank you for the question.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I saw you somewhere, when I left?
Q: The other day sir, yes.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah.
Q: This is related to what Marisol asked, sir. Because a few days ago, you confirmed that six members of the Cabinet will be running or filing their COCs. Can you share with us sir if meron na pong replacements doon sa inaasahan ninyong magre-resign?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Idea? Wala pa. Naghahanap ako. But you know my choices. It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do na I want to ingratiate myself to the military. I don’t need that.
I was elected by the people, not by the military. I just want military people kasi alam ko na isang utos lang. Kagaya ng Marawi, kagaya ng Boracay. Mangyari kaya ‘yan kung hindi si Cimatu pati si Del Rosario inutusan ko.
Now, sila kasi sila ang kilala ko. Isang — isang unit lang naman itong Armed Forces eh. Sila ‘yung nakilala ko, ‘di sila ‘yung nakilala kong matinong tao. Eh lahat naman matino.
Q: You mentioned kasi sir the other day na meron na po kayong in-offer to replace Secretary Alan sa DFA. I was wondering maybe if you can tell us who that is.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: DFA? Naghahanap ako ng mestizo kagaya niya para hindi sila manghimago. Now, really… I don’t know if I have to — I… Baka ayaw niyang i-announce. I do not have his permission. Mahirap kasi if I give out his name tapos tatanggapin niya.
[Bong, tawagan mo nga si Teddy Boy Locsin, sabihin mo kung pwede bang i-mention niya pangalan dito?]
Q: Has he accepted sir? Teddy Boy?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I don’t know. Okay na? Okay naman sa akin ‘yan. There is a more powerful guy there. Next time around, don’t ask me question. You ask that…
Q: So he is our new…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Huwag mong kalimutan ‘to. I’m not campaigning ha but he’s also due for replacement. Naghahanap nga ako, sa totoo lang. Naghahanap ako.
Kasi sabi ko kung tatakbo ka, ngayon na. Do not go into that kind of substitute-substitute. Because mabasa ng tao ‘yan eh. One more substitute to be seen in public before me on the last…
Iyong akin, iyong akin, sinadya ko ba rin ‘yun? Hindi naman siguro.
Sabi ko kay Bong, you go and I will — I will help him. I will help him because he’s a friend, he’s a — ano ito, apo ito ng — ni August Tesoro, the late August Tesoro. Iyong binaril ng NPA sa — diyan sa gulf — Davao City gulf.
Q: So sir, just to be clear about it. Teddy Boy Locs — Teddy Boy — sir Teddy Boy will be our next SFA. And also sir, has Secretary Panelo accepted your offer for him to be your Press Secretary?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: For in matters of sartorial elegance maybe.
Q: What do you mean by that sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mga boots na hanggang dito [laughter] mga pantalon na in tatters. Tapos ang — “Saan mo binili ‘yan? Sa Quiapo? Sa Divisoria?” Sabi niya, “Ano ito Versace ito. G***” “Ha?”
And ‘yung — minsan nag — sana huwag… Sal, huwag ka lang magalit. Totoo naman ‘to eh. Hindi kita talaga maintindihan. Minsan, in one of gala dinner after an international conference. Where was that?
Dumating si Panelo. Of course lahat naka-barong. But to our horror, we discovered. Iyong ano mo — iyong… Sabi ko, “Iyong breast mo lumalabas, ano ba ‘yan totoo, ano ba ‘yan? Walang ano — walang t-shirt basta diresto barong.” Ah saka ra… Tinginan kaming lahat. Ang ginaw-ginaw pa. Ah, maniwala ka.
Q: Sir, has he accepted?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: He’s all good for sartorial elegance. No, temporarily he should fit the job.
Q: Press Secretary sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Meron na sa Congress, meron kayong — I think there’s a law? You want the Office of Press Secretary revived. And iyong [PCOO] will be — lahat. Anything that has to do with government information, whatever mailagay diyan siya sa isang opisina. And mas maganda ‘yun.
Q: Okay. You said temporarily sir ah? Temporarily, you mentioned that he will take that post?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, because he is the Presidential Advise — Legal Adviser. Wala pa akong nakita sa… Panelo, ‘yan ang forte niya ‘yung… Tapos naka-boots palagi.
Pare-pareho kami pero iba ‘yang mga kanya. Pointed na, tumabi ka ‘pag natamaan ka maputol ‘yang paa mo.
Q: Lastly, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, ma’am?
Q: Secretary Harry Roque said he hasn’t resigned. What is his real status now? Because you mentioned the other day sabi niya nag-resign and then sabi mo sige.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Di, ganito ‘yan eh. I hope I would not offend Harry but… Sabi niya, magtakbo siya ng senador. O ‘di sabi ko sige. So automatic may ano na ako sa kuwan, may naisip na ako na…
“Sal, ikaw muna. Well, if you want it then I’d look for — I’ll scout for another legal adviser.”
Ta’s kinabukasan sabi niya hindi na raw. Sabi ko nasabihan ko na si ano pero walang — wala pang replacement. Tapos kinabukasan sabi niya tatakbo na naman siya. Kanina sabi ni Bong na hindi naman tatakbo. Mukhang…
The flight was smooth. But when we were talking about it kay Harry, bigla akong nahilo sa ano. “So saan ba tayo pupunta nito, Bong?” sabi ko. I’ll just talk to him. Better. Ano ba talaga tatakbo, hindi, tatakbo, hindi, tatakbo, hindi?
Abutin pa — abutin na naman ‘yan 2021, tatakbo, tatakbo uli… Much longer space to make the choice with finality.
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kung wala ng iba, there was one pressing issue, I hope it gets… I would not say — I do not know. I must confess, I do not know whether it has become effective or it is now in the pipeline for legislation.
But ulitin ko, ang Pilipinas kasi was one of the unfortunate countries na… Ewan ko kung paano ginawa ni God. I’m talking about my God, not somebody else’s God. My God is personal, akin lang ‘yun. Walang — I do not share it with anybody.
But after the World War II, there was a massive rehabilitation and one of the cities, most devastated was Manila. And there was this Marshall Plan but it was geared towards Singapo — Japan.
I would like to guess that — well advance the theory that because maybe of their — the horrors that were inflicted in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
And it was much really a — an atomic war is an infliction of genocide. Iyan ang genocide. Eh itong human rights na ICC mga bugok. Why — genocide? Namatay ‘yung kriminal diyan genocide. Tapos…
Ang problema ngayon, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, to their maybe good fortunes meron silang oil. Tayo po wala. So everything you see in this room, including that mat there pati dito is a product of oil. Pati itong baso na ito, the lathe machine na ginagamit lahat sa pag-construct nito, paggawa ng mga — pati itong papel na binabasa ko comes from an equipment, a machine, or something nagtatrabaho at tumatakbo.
And that — those machines all over the world, the planes, how the [garbled] are made, how the planes fly are driven by oil.
Now, after [war?] marami silang oil. Hindi sila dependent. Tayo, sabi ng Pilipino, inflation. Correct. There is inflation. And there… I must give you the warning now. ‘Pag magtaas ‘yang oil, you can be sure next week mag-announce na naman ng price increases. Because oil is everything. The world cannot move. There’s not enough solar power to run this country.
So ngayon, ‘pag nag-increase pa ‘yang mga y*** na… ‘Pag nag-increase ‘yan ng presyo, bukas, tatamaan tayo.
Now, here is a problem. I do not know if it is a confirmed move by the American government. President Trump would be willing to sign a trade pact with you. But it must be a document which the countries must sign and there is a provision which is — I don’t know if it is true or not.
It came from these guys here, mga finance. Nandoon ‘yung lahat na — naiwan ‘yung mga finance officer doon. Diokno, sila lahat. And of course, other countries were talking about it, having coffee. Now, kung pipirma ka niyan, you can export and import will continue. But you cannot trade with China.
Sige daw. Try to solve the problem. Tapos sabihin nila, “Ano ‘to si Duterte? Bakit ‘yung pandesal niya kasing laki na lang ng monggo?” Ano bang magawa ko? Wala nga tayong oil eh.
The oil that I experienced spurting out from the soil of Philippine territory, ‘yung sa Alegria. And I was — I cried. Nagtulo ‘yung luha ko kasi finally nakita ko ‘yung gas na umaapoy. Pero isa lang. Hanggang ngayon isa lang. Pang-kerosene lang ‘yung sa Cebu.
Ganon ang… Patay tayo. Now, there’s that — this is not the end of the story, guys. Sabihin ninyo panahon ko talagang maghirap. If things will move forward in accordance with the present calculations now, talagang sa panahon ko maghirap tayo. Kung mag-wala kayo, ‘di lahat na tayo. Mag-wala na tayong lahat kasi ako apektado rin. Iyan ang problema ngayon.
Si Trump, kaibigan ko. So kung magkita lang naman kami — kung magkita kami — sabihin ko, “Pareng Donald, ano ba namang… Huwag mong… Pati Pilipinas niyan.”
See, we have a limited market suddenly. Now, China buys everything from us. When I assumed the — my work as a — in the national government, everything was all right already. Maski anong ipagbili mo sa kanila, bibilihin nila.
Ang Amerikano naman, historically, may umbilical cord tayo, lalo na mga military, the police. They go there to train. So we have this brotherhood bond. So malapit rin tayo doon.
Ako man. Hindi man ako nanunuod ng Shaolin na ganun-ganun kay ‘di ko nga maintindihan ‘yang salita nila. Dito ako sa Amerikano kay… So that’s the problem.
Q: Sir, last. What are your expectations from Teddy Boy Locsin as your new Foreign Affairs Secretary? And second sir, is it true that Secretary Martin Andanar will replace Secretary Francis Tolentino?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Na — paano? First…
Q: First…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: First, your question. I do not even know if Tony Boy has agreed. Siya…
Q: Sabi po ni SAP.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Eh siya, sabi niya. Huwag mo akong tanungin. Eh siya ‘yang ‘pag — kung palpak na balita ‘yan, ‘yan si senador Go.
Q: You said it the other day sir, that he accepted.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Second, Martin Andanar should be around. Siya — palit-palit sila, pero there must only be one Press Secretary. And historically, na ano lang. Ano talaga ‘yan. It was addressed as a Press office, Press Secretary. Iyon ang connotations ng — the word.
Q: Will he be political adviser? Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ni?
Q: Si Andanar po.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Political adviser ko?
Q: Replacing Secretary Tolentino who is — as you mentioned running.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Disgrasya tayong lahat kung political adviser. [laughter] Talo…
Tanungin mo nga kung nanalo ba siya ng eleksyon ni minsan? ‘Di, ‘di, ‘di, biro lang ‘yan. I’ll consider everybody.
Q: Last na ‘yun. Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala na?
Anong ano ka ma’am?
Q: UNTV, sir. Yes. Good morning, sir. I would just like to ask sir if…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Lakas-lakasan mo nang konti.
Q: Yes, sir. Follow up lang po sa question ni Ma’am Ina. Have you decided po sir as to what position you will be placing Mr. Harry Roque po? Have you decided na po ba?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sino? Si?
Q: Harry Roque po, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mag-uusap pa kami, ma’am. Kasi baka ngayon mag-usap siya tapos bukas iba na naman. Takot na ako eh. Baka magkamali ko. Hindi sa… Takot ako mapahiya sa mga tao. I don’t mind [garbled] ko siya. It’s a — it should be something like a private thing. The choices or what, how to move forward.
But the problem is kung mag-announce ako ngayon, eh hindi ko pa siya nakausap. Baka mapalpak ako. Kasi ‘yun pa naman ang ginamit niya. He was kept in the dark. I-announce ko pala na tusukin ako diyan sa ano?
Ganito ‘yan. Dito sa Davao, last month, meron na akong colonoscopy, pati endoscopy to clear matters dito sa Davao. Tapos sinabi ko ang totoo kasi my health is a public issue. Tapos sinabi ng ano — ‘yung doctor, ‘yung — dito sa Davao ginawa eh. ‘Di dala-dala ko ‘yung…. Nung binasa nila, sabi nila, “I think the mayor has to undergo — just to confirm.”
So gusto nila magkuha ng sample. Not for sale ‘yang sample ma’am, kasi sample lang eh. Eh ‘di bika-ka na naman ako para tusok dito. Nakita mo bunganga ko? Medyo mas malaki nang konti. Malaki ‘yung gina…
Eh tapos sabi ng doctor, “Okay. Okay ka pa hanggang mamatay ka.” Eh ‘di okay na ‘yan. There’s enough time for that. Sabi ng doctor, “Okay ka pa hanggang mamatay ka.” That’s good enough. Okay?
Q: Second question, sir. For local politics po. Pahabol lang po. Can you confirm sir if Mayor Sara would be still — would be running for senatorial bid or mayor din? And then how about…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sinabi ko na sa inyo huwag kayong maniwala kay Inday. Jajammingan kayo lahat diyan. Hindi ‘yan magtakbo ng senador. Hindi ‘yan magtakbo ng presidente. Maniwala kayo sa akin. She’s too wise for that.
Q: How about Pulong sir and Baste?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I heard. Si Pulong naman, I expect him as a son to come to me and say, “Pa, gusto kong doon na tatakbo.” Kasi alam mo anak ko eh.
Kung gusto kong tama na ‘yang ano. Pero meron pa nga anti-dynasty diyan na hindi mapasa-pasa. Hindi ‘yan mapasa-pasa kay hindi man papayag si Mylene diyan. Wala na mo. Hindi na ‘yan papasa maniwala ka. Walang… Lahat ng…
The power elite in this country, hindi man — lalo na ‘yung sa ibang lugar, they are… Kung hindi ka madala sa pera, armas — which never happened in Davao. We never had — had a history of political…
Pero those, the… [Anong tawag nito?] The pressure group in a democracy lies in the hands of those who will make [the laws?].
Why? Because until now, the Philippines is in a feudal state. Why? Because lahat ng kailangan mo, “Mayor, pahingi ng eskwelahan, tubig, tulong, pera, pagkain.” Nakatutok doon sa mga politiko. That is why ‘yung feudal system continues.
Now, if you replace local government, maswerte ka kung may tao na matino, huwag mo na akong isali diyan para sabihin na — baka sabihin na ako lang. Tabla kaming lahat, view it as a total — in total dimension. Ganun ‘yan until…
Kung — and there’s only one way of doing it and I would hate to mention it even.
Thank you.
Any… Ang… There’s… Paki-patay nga ng — paki-patay nga ng ano. Kindly shut off ‘yung… Hindi, hindi to akin. There’s a sad story evolving kasi nawala nga si ano, si Boyet Lim. So sa eroplano pa lang…
I know him, he was my supporter actually. Tumulong sa akin time and again since I dabbled in politics.
[end of RTVM live stream]
— END —
SOURCE: PCOO – PND (Presidential News Desk)
