Interview

Media Interview with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the Inauguration of Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2


Event Inauguration of Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2
Location Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Good evening members of the beautiful press of the Philippines. May I help you?

Q: Good evening, Mr. President. Dale Israel from CNN Philippines. The new airport terminal is expected to bring in more tourists and people with the comes traffic for Cebu and, Mr. President, at present the biggest complain of Cebuanos is traffic. Now there are two mass transport systems being proposed here a BRT system and an LRT system. Which one can Cebuanos expect to be implemented to complement this new airport terminal?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I am not trying to sow intrigue. But not Cebu but maybe ang dynamics ng politics enters into the picture.

That is why ‘yung project ng isa — the other guy is objecting, all sorts of objection and the negative attitude na they can — it cannot solve the problem.

I would suggest sabagay nandiyan naman si Art, for the national government to completely take over. Anyway, pera naman ng national government ‘yan and I would never allow na ‘yung i-devolve mo doon ang pera [unclear] ko.

It will just end up with nothing. So it could be… It behooves upon the Department of Transportation to improve things including traffic. It falls under his jurisdiction. And the only way the Cebuanos can escape and maybe Davao and some Iloilo, they are getting progressive but in time, it’s really to go to mass transport system.

For places na bago lang, for Gen San, it was a very wide highways, they can maybe choose ‘yung sa gitna. But all others Davao, you have to go up. Monorail or whatever, you have to go up.

It was expensive to acquire all of those properties. You will not complete it in 100 years. If ‘yung kukunin mo diyan, you have to — you know, buy the easements and the space. And you will run afoul with so many cases injunction dito, injunction doon.

That was the vogue or the fad during.. ‘Yung matalo tapos magfa-file ng kaso. Ito namang mga korte and some judges for that matter are simply also to — I don’t know. I told them do not — do not issue injunctions.

Do not interfere in government kasi ako mismo wala. I leave it to the guys that I place there to solve the problems. Ang nakatagal is ‘yung mag-injunction, kaso, sabihin ko sa inyo it’s all clean. And it can — we can have a way of putting it up without — I don’t know but kung maaari lang magtayo tayo ng another mode of getting the projects and spending for it.

Pero karamihan diyan it ends up with the — kagaya ng Ayala pati ‘yung Consunji. Ang sabi ko sa korte do not because it will delay and people are increasing, the space is getting small because more people are in it. So if you keep on delaying it further, this country will go nowhere.

Kaya ako nagwa-warning lang ako kasi you penchant for issuing itong mga — hindi naman lahat. But you know I do not want to insult people, I do not want to call your attention. But there is a time which just as good as any other time now to say it again. It’s a beautiful airport.

Mga Cebuanos are very lucky. You have the acoustics, it’s wood, maganda ang music diyan. Anything that’s wood would — hindi sabog ‘yung… Very lucky. And I also commend my Transportation Secretary.

Walang problema kayo diyan, he is a good guy. He is rich and he has the brainpower to do it. And so the others also like Dominguez of the Finance. Puro may ano ‘yan, big time ‘yan noong pumasok sa gobyerno big time na.

Any others? Next question.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kamusta ka? Walang nag-api-api sa iyo? Bantay sila sa akin. Sabihin mo kaibigan tayo. Wala namang humahalik sa iyo? Iyan ang problema, big deal.

Q: Good evening, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.

Q: I am Elias Bakero of SunStar Cebu. Can you please expound on what you said about radical changes which you mentioned when you…

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: There might be some offices which are prone to corruption that will be placed directly under the Office of the President. Ako na ‘yung boss nila.

Q: Does that radical changes mean declaring martial law in the entire country?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, martial law is not feasible. It won’t work. It won’t work.

First of all, it’s going to be a divided nation. So, I don’t know if everybody will agree with you. It’s going to divide the nation.

You might think of something else — martial law. We have martial law in Davao. It is an ordinary day for all of us there. We can… Walang sundalo, walang lahat, walang abuso because we had already the experience of Mr. Marcos.

What really made it so unpopular were the abuses committed, unbridled, unfettered. That cannot happen in my time.

I will not simple not allow it. Di ba sinabi ko this presidency I put everything on the table. The presidency itself, my life, and honor. I will not allow any somebody oppressing you. But I will allow free speech to the fullest.

Eh ako I’m a receiving end. Eh sabi nila ano daw ako sa babae mugara pud ko. Tuloy tini… Talagang I’m testing the waters beyond its normal limits.

Ang sabi mo ako ganito eh di sige. Ang tawag diyan sa Bisaya “mugara.” I do it purposely to — just to test — what about…

Q: Good evening, Mr. President. Cebu Airport Corporation has submitted unsolicited proposal for further development in the airport like additional airside facilities and another runway. What’s the status of this unsolicited proposal?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I was talking it over with Art. He has a timetable for everything. He has his hands full. They are doing Clark. Maybe next month they are going to start on it.

The one who build this will be the one to do it because he won the bidding. And nakita ko naman that he deserves recognition actually. Maganda ang pagkagawa eh.

I don’t mind spending more basta lahat pupunta sa… You know to make it more beautiful for the people to appreciate their money, importante ‘yan.

Saan… Ha-i among kwarta? Where’s our money? There. Enjoy it. Indulge on it because it’s yours.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: O nagtanong pa.

Q: Hi, sir. Sir, this is a follow up to the radical changes that you mentioned two days ago. Sir, nung binanggit mo ‘yon you sort of hinted that you may implement radical changes in the context of state of national emergency. Can you expound…?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No. I have declared national emergency already, it’s existing. In other countries, national emergency is equated with martial law.

But we have our unique style of handling itong national emergency. For example, we have had the experience in the handling of our — mga kababayan natin. That has to be fixed. And there is already a template for that. That’s what happened in Kuwait.

What we got more than what we asked for in the bargain. And so publicly I am acknowledging the charity of Kuwait. And I apologize also for the harsh words. Though it was not needed but you know it depends on the character of who’s sitting there as president.

Q: Okay, so just to be clear about it, there is no provision or there is no action that you can take covered by the declaration of state of national emergency issued in September 2017 that you will use…

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, I will live first with government. I have to fix the PNP, I will have to fix other… But it’s a dwindling thing. Masyado ang corruption, then I will deal with the local governments lalo na ‘yang complacency and the nonchalant attitude towards the problem of criminality.

They are here, nandito sila, sila dapat ang mauna. And so tell me what’s happening here because I cannot just rely on my police to guard every inch of Cebu.

The local executives, sila ang dapat mauna ‘yung — to keep peace in my city or province. So you answer me why it is deteriorating.

Eh kung maraming nagdo-droga, what are you doing about it? Eh sabihin ko unsa man gibuhat ninyo or else I will just suspend you or dismiss you administratively and take away the power of the — your supervision over the police.

At I will be unforgiving sa police at saka gobyerno.

Q: Very…

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Huwag ninyo akong… God… T**** i** ninyo. Hindi ko kayo palulusutin diyan.

Q: Last on my part, sir. Can you give us maybe a few of the government agencies that you are considering placing under your office?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, special ano lang — hindi ko pa nasabi. Kung sabihin ko ngayon masaktan ‘yung secretary na matatamaan.

We have a Cabinet meeting coming up. I will also have my command conference and that will be the time that I would be ready to declare anything out of respeto sa kanila.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Good evening, sir. Finally…

Q: Yes, sir, good evening po. Sir, your critics particularly ex-Chief Justice Sereno are saying your firing of government officials is “mere gimmickry,” that’s the term she used and that it’s all for show, sir. May we get your reaction on this, sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes and including hers, it’s gimmickry. You ask people who are in state of playing gimmicks with government.

Ang oppression sinosolo niya lahat. Akala niya private ow — ‘yung Supreme Court kanya. These are the guys now mag-advance ang isip pagka nabigla. You know from a professor inilagay mo diyan na she thinks that she can do it on her own, tingnan mo anong nangyari.

Why? She was playing gimmickry. Impressing people and this and that.

Q: Sir, if I may rephrase the question. Ang sinasabi po kasi nila, sir, nire-recycle niyo lang daw sir diumano ‘yung mga fina-fire ninyo na officials, sir, and then ilalagay niyo rin sa ibang departments, sir.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well… But if you are thinking of recycling Sereno, it’s — you must be joking.

Ang sinasabi niya recycle, sino? Sino ang…? Ako, I place people to their appropriate capacity. Now it doesn’t mean that I transfer you from one another — it might be a revamp. Pero it does not mean to say na may kasalanan ka.

Eh ikaw kung abogado ka ganun ang style mo then I place you there. If you are a combative type, palagi kang makipag-away sa superior mo.

Pero ‘yung — you know si Sereno is a lost cause. She had it coming, she asked for it. Iyon ang nangyari sa kanya.

Now that she is out, she is full of adjectives and gimmickry. Mga justices may utak ‘yan, abogado kagaya mo, gimmick?

I don’t believe her. And I don’t respect her also. Puro gimmick eh. Siya ‘yung gumi-gimmick, kami ‘yung nagtatrabaho.

Pag landing niya dito sa airport, sabihin mo, “ito o, gimmick ni Duterte pati ni Tugade.” Kami dito sige kami trabaho, sige sila criticize.

Anong…? What significant contribution nila in governance that…? Ano? Tell me. Anong significant decision ni Sereno or anybody ‘yung mga critic na sabihin nila na mga gimmick ito?

Anong na-contribute nila all these years? Tanungin ko. Tingnan mo ‘yang taong nagsasalita diyan. Anong ang… What have they contributed to the betterment of the country except indulging in politics?

Give me one who came up with a splendid record of public service except playing with words.

Q: Sir, last on my part, sir, allow me to be the one to ask about Asec. Mocha Uson. Sir, would you consider it that she did not — that she disobeyed your orders when she did not apologize?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, but I… As I respect the opposition, I must also respect the people in my camp.

She has invoked the right of free expression — freedom to express. Once mag-invoke ka ng ganun wala akong magawa.

Kasi ako mismo sinasabi ko well it’s your right to criticize me. As a matter of fact, any policeman who disagrees with me — eh medyo ako ano sa kanila because of this drug problem.

You can criticize me even the garbage collector. But as long as you are a Filipino citizen I will respect your right to freedom of expression.

Pero kung pasahero ka lang na dumadaan dito, you are a foreigner, I will deport you. Who are you? Just because you are a nun you think that you will find a special reason to be behaving the way you are?

Mahirap ‘yang ganun. Why? Who is your boss? God? I said my God is different from you. Your God is — tells you to interfere in peoples… Eh hindi nga nila masolve-solve ‘yang sa aborigines diyan sa — ‘yang sa ginawa nila sa Australia. They kidnapped an entire generation, educated them and ano…

They got it from the families forcibly. So ikaw nun, anong ginawa mo? Why are you not demonstrating in front of the parliament of Australia? Why are you messing up with us? Hindi naman ako Katoliko, wala naman kayong ginawa kung… Pari, sus. What have you done except to collect money from the people?

So you read the book of… Binigyan ko na sa inyo… Ibinigay ko na ang libro sa inyo eh. Look at that expose. It’s about corruption of the Church, and that corruption dates back to many, many, many, many, many years ago.

Actually kung pag-aralan mo the Catholic religion is a farce. It starts with Adam and Eve. Magawa ka ng planet na maganda paradise, sabihin mo walang tao. Iyan ang teaching ng Church. Tapos lagyan mo ng tao para may maglakad-lakad diyan sa paradise mo. Eh walang babae, lagyan mo ng babae. Da nagka-l*****-l****** na.

Mahog na… Okay pa sana…Eh ‘yang mga Katoliko ganun eh. Eh nag-aral pa ng — Ateneo nag-aral ako ng — then sa San Beda for my law.

Iyan ang turo ng… Maggawa ng bahay, maggawa ka ng lalaki tapos tignan mo ‘yung dalawa nag ano na siguro, eh… Tapos tawagin mo ‘yung ahas, lagyan mo ng apple, ibigay mo doon kay Eve para may malisya. What’s a f***** ****. Kung Diyos ka bakit mo gawain ‘yan? Why do you have to spoil?

That is why I cannot believe in the basic tenets of the Catholic church. It is really a — portraying God to be so stupid. Totoo. Ikaw ‘yung Diyos, gagawa ka ng paradise, lagyan mo tao kasi oh lalaki. Sabi niya kawawa naman lagyan ng babae, eh di mas mabuti. Kay mag-volunteer ako na lang sana si Adam. Kay maglagay ka na tawagin mo ‘yung [whistles] Come here, oh ito ilagay mo sa bunganga ng ahas, cobra pa. Pati doon oh.

Ewan ko paano tinempt (tempt) ni ahas si Eve. Baka para sa katawan eh, bumigay. Ayon… Tapos nag-ano na sila. Tapos sabihin sa atin na lahat tayo we are borne with sin. Hindi ba? Kaya tayo i-baptize. P***** i**, anong pakialam natin na… Ang… Ating ancestor, wala man tayong pakialam. Hangin, molecules tayo eh. Tapos here you are now with a sin, baptized, tapos maghihingi ng pera. T*** i***** ‘yan.

Q: Hi, sir. Sir, DZME. Sir, i-clear ko lang nang husto ‘yon ano. Did you really apologize to Kris doon sa isyu niya with Mocha?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Again?

Q: Nag-sorry po ba kayo? Nagpa-sorry po kay Kris Aquino?

Q: Did you apologize, sir?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. Totoo ‘yan. I said to Bong, tell her we are sorry for the incident because she works for me sa Malacañang. But there is a verbal tussle there. Tapos she has invoked freedom of expression, freedom of speech.

Who am I now to say na huwag? I’m not… I do not control my… She has invoked a sacred right, iyan pa ang sacred. That’s guaranteed under the Constitution.

Mga pari maniwala ka diyan sa mga p*… Bobolahin lang kayo niyan. Ikaw si Eve, nasaan si Adam mo? Akala ko ba?

 

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