Media Interview of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte following his visit to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Flagship-Destroyer Changchun
Sasa Port, Davao City
01 May 2017
Q: How was your visit, sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Very impressive. It’s clean and even the carpeting, it’s all carpeted inside and it’s like a hotel actually.

Q: Nainggit kayo, sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Oo, walang… Sabi ko nga, is there any room here for guests? Sabi nila, meron for guests. Sabi ko, “Can I use it?” “Yes, why?” “I want to get married but… the lady is waiting downstairs.”

Q: Sir, can you tell us, will it this be—

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: You, you? Maybe.

Q: No, no. That was not my question. Can you tell us will this be just a start of series of cooperation or events with the Chinese military?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, part really of the building of — confidence building and goodwill and to show that we are friends. That’s why I welcomed them here and I was the one who asked, ‘you show me your warships’.

Q: What else did you see inside, sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, an array of arms. Wala naman… It’s all covered. But, it’s run by a computer and look at the way the missile launchers are pointed at us. It will be lowered a little on the angle, sabog tayo dito lahat.

Q: Was there a promise of anything such as aid, military, free warship?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, no, no. I… The Navy, the military is not allowed to do that. They’re only… They’re only authorize to talk within their own ambit of — the ships, and — but very limited information.

Q: Sir, are we looking at joint exercises?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, I said I agree. We can have a joint exercise here in Mindanao maybe in the Sulu Sea.

Q: Sir, did this cement your belief na talagang hindi natin kayang tapatan ang China?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, in the sense of… Hindi naman kaya but it would not be good. It would not be good because any violence now would result only in both sides losing. There is no winner actually. Iyong giyera na ito ngayon, pag ka sumabog lahat ‘yan.

Q: Sir, can you confirm that you have not yet fully accepted of President Trump?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, because I have — I’m tied up. I cannot make any definite promise. I’m supposed to go to Russia, I’m also supposed to go to Israel, I’m supposed to go to… Where else?

Q: Sir, can you tell us about your phone call with Mr. Trump? You said you wanted to tell him to make sure that war will not happen? How did your conversation–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, it is the concern of everybody. Not only with us but the ASEAN guys, the Heads of States also expressed their fear of an outbreak because of the threat of a nuclear warhead.

Ang fallout niyan — ang fallout niyan would include China, alam nila and pati tayo. And the Philippines is within striking distance of their missiles.

Q: How did he respond, sir, Mr. Trump?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala man. Sinabi ko lang na we are as concerned and I supposed that you — you have the persuasive power, you are showing it to him. There has to be a sense somewhere. But I said, Mr. President, I do not think that you can scare Kim Jong-un with a firepower.

Our greatest chance there of getting some dialogue with America and North Korea would be through the intercession of China.

Q: Sir, sabi po kahapon ng Chinese Ambassador na illegal ang tingin nila kung itutuloy natin ‘yung planong pagpapaganda ng mga facilities and structures natin sa West Philippine Sea?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: O ‘di repair lang naman.

Q: Kahit ano daw gawin natin, sir, illegal daw ‘yun sabi ng China.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, they can always look the way around. We have been there since 1974 by the way.

Q: President, according to Senator Trillanes, pinahina niyo raw ‘yung posisyon ng Philippines sa pag-claim doon sa West Philippine Sea?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: What does he… Ang alam ni… He does not know about geopolitics. Trillanes is only good for compass.

Q: Okay. Sir, did you in any way discuss with President Trump the distancing of the Philippines from the US and then trying to build closer relations–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Nothing of this sort, actually. It was not a distancing but it was rather a rift between me maybe and the State Department and Mr. Obama who spoke openly against me.

Q: Sir, tuloy pa rin tayo, sir, kahit sabihin nilang–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, things have changed. There’s a new leadership. He wants to make friends and he says that we are friends. So why do you have to pick a fight?

Q: Pero kahapon lang po sinabi ni Ambassador Zhao na whatever you will do and whatever you have there in the West Philippine Sea we consider it illegal? So papaano ‘yun sir, itutuloy pa ba natin halimbawa ‘yung pag-repair natin sa?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, of course, because that is part of our duty as nation.

Q: President, reaction sa attack ng NPA sa Davao City. Sir, paano ‘to makaka-apekto sa peace talks?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Si Inday naman ang nauna. Iyon na lang ‘yung kanya. I will just adopt the statement of the Mayor. Baka magdagdag pa tayo diyan ng hindi tama.

Q: Tingin mo magkakaroon ba kaya tayo ng ganyan?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: That’s what I told the military a little while ago I was facing them. Sabi ko, in my term maybe I will try to make something like this. But it has to be as beautiful as this. Ito carpeted, wala kang — hindi na kailangan — anti-slide ha. Wala kang makitang oil. It’s all carpeted after carpet. Oo. Napaka-ganda. Inside, it’s like a luxury hotel.

Q: Sir, ‘yung regalo niyo sa mga workers ngayong Labor Day po?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I don’t know about Bello. We will ask him to what extent.

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