PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ako pa sa inyo maglipat na lang kayo para hindi kayo masali sa mura. Sige, what’s your question?
Q: Sir, meron na po bang mga bagong appointment? Is it true that Senator Honasan will be the next DICT Secretary?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I think he’s considering the possibility. Ako naman, I invited him. Sabi ko, if you aren’t doing anything and if you will not run again, so why don’t you join me in our quest for a better Philippines and a better government.
Yes that is true. I think he is toying with the idea of joining. But I’m not sure if he has decided to actually join.
Q: Sir, how about political adviser?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Wala. I… Marami na eh. So I do not see any immediate need to appoint political advisers.
Q: Sir, would you issue pa po ba an EO para ma-officialize ‘yung pagba-ban ng casino sa Boracay? Would you need — would you issue an EO because that’s what Secretary Guevarra said.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ban ng ano?
Q: Ban ng casinos.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah dito. Because ang survey dito, ang mga tao ng Boracay ayaw ng sugal.
So it’s the voice of people is the voice of God. If it is the wish of the population here that they do not want a casino, then it will be a no casino.
Q: Is an EO necessary for the implementation?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, I’ll just say that huwag na lang. Anyway, it’s a privilege.
Whether I put it in writing or just say it verbally. It is not a requirement that I should really be, you know, writing something…
At saka ang casino, there’s a problem with drugs dito ha sa taas. Ang tagal ko ng alam ‘yan. Then again, itong mga may casino dysfunctional. It becomes a dysfunctional facility because almost —
Iyang Okada diyan sa ano — they enter your room at sinabi doon, they will call the family in whatever that we have hostaged your — tapos maghingi. Diyan lang sa kwarto ‘yung victim. Sasamahan lang.
Somebody will go there, just take the hostage of the occupant. Ask something if he has money. Then they will just call the family that we have taken — we have kidnapped your…
The whole and the entire operation takes place in the hotel. So and a lot of — marami diyan. Policemen who are into the business of fixing things, moneylenders and people who really kidnap foreigners.
That’s the reason why it’s almost pagka pinasok mo — Philippine contemporary scene. A hotel with a casino is not good because there are a lot of things that will happen. It becomes dysfunctional actually. Kidnappings, drugs, and everything.
And it is a place where most of the gangster around in this or thereabout or just stay there and commit all crimes of sorts. And I do not think that I’m ready to grant any other if I am not assured of, I said, up there behind Boracay, the beach is — drugs are very — you can maybe go in and disguise yourself as a…
Ikaw, pwede ka mag — Ina, mag — kunwari turista ka tingnan mo. Do some investigative journalism. That’s why I don’t do it. I do not like it.
Q: Any instructions to combat the problem?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, that’s why I assigned General Cimatu and General — si DILG. Sabi ko, stop the casinos. Sabi ko, i-padlock mo. I think he has padlocked the place.
And if I were the owner of the hotel, I should not be speculating of what will happen to me if I defy government.
I said there’s going to be no gambling and that’s it. Because we consulted the people here. People in Boracay does not want the casinos.
Q: Sir, last na lang. Press secretary, sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Press secretary…
Q: Is Panelo going to be your permanent spokesman?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, I don’t think he will transition himself to a spokesman. Maybe in the meantime that I’m considering other names.
Q: Who?
Q: Sir, who?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I think one from ABS-CBN.
Q: From ABS-CBN?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.
Q: Who is that sir?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Are you from…?
Q: No, sir. I’m from TV5.
Q: Franchise is safe, sir?
Q: Seryoso ba ‘yon?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Saan ang — saan ang ABS?
Q: Spokesperson daw from ABS [laughter]
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Pia who?
Q: Gutierrez sir ha, Gutierrez.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi ka kasali ma’am, wala ka pa namang ano… You were not yet with ABS-CBN when these things happened.
But it is really true, it’s a matter of record that they offered to pay and I refused to accept it because it was returned to me, proposed to return the money — it was too late, after the elections.
One thing is that, you know when you do that to many people, it’s fraud. You are actually a fraud if you received the money and you don’t come up with your bar — with your part on the bargain.
Q: Sir, can you share with us names you’re considering for your spokesman?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mahirap ako mag — I am scouting for — pero preferably from the media community.
Sanay eh. Sanay mag… They would know how to respond to questions. I’m offering it to…
Q: Sir, franchise daw kapalit?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: The franchise of ABS-CBN. Well I’ll tell you in public now. No, I said they have committed so many frauds. They have to answer for it. If they cannot explain to me why they should not be given an extension o how not to run an outfit…
I said I’m going to oppose it because I’m not the only one. Escudero, ako, and many others. Maybe more or less 20…
Iyong tinanggap nila tapos… Ang mahirap dito it’s playing God because it’s a network, a powerful one, without even saying sorry. Wala.
Just offer — enclosed a check for — as a reimbursement. What reimbursement? It is not reimbursement. That money is the amount that they took from us and without returning it and without giving us the desired publication or the desired program that we pay them for.
Pero I do not have any particular person. I am just letting you know that ABS-CBN has not come up with a standard of being a media outlet or a medium of communication.
— END —
Source: PCOO-PND (Presidential News Desk)
