Kindly sit down. Thank you.

I am not… I am not at ease talking with my mouth — with something in front of my mouth. [removes eyeglasses] Ito ho sa panglayo, hindi sa pagbasa.

I am pleased to join the distinguished officials and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine National Police, and other law enforcement agencies, honorable judges, public attorneys, my fellow prosecutors, and other invited guests who are here to celebrate another milestone in our war against drugs.

The destruction of these assorted drugs is an affirmation of our determination to put an end to this menace that has caused immeasurable harm to millions of individual users, destroyed countless families, and continue to threaten the moral fabric of our society.

Let me take this opportunity to acknowledge the coordinated efforts of PDEA and the PNP which led to the seizure of more than seven billion pesos worth of dangerous drugs that we destroy today.

This adds to the more than 56 billion pesos worth of illegal drugs that we already seized after more than 180,000 anti-illegal drug operations since the beginning of my administration.

We will continue to work even harder not only to suppress the supply of narcotics in our streets, but also to prevent our country from being used as a trans-shipment point for illegal drug trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Let me emphasize to our law enforcement agents and operatives that, despite the extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, these criminals do not cease in their nefarious activities.

We must, therefore, remain steadfast in our campaign not only by intensifying our operations against drug trafficking, but also by reforming our criminal justice system and addressing the root cause of drug abuse and dependency.

I am asking the brave men and women of our law enforcement agencies, the prosecution service, and the judiciary to never waver in their difficult yet rewarding task. We already accomplished a lot in the past four years, and we can accomplish more in the next years to come.

Ending illegal drug trade means securing the future of our nation. Together, let us make a drug-free Philippines the greatest legacy that we can leave behind to our children and the succeeding generations.

Before I say salamat po lahat, I’d like to just give you my own part of the narrative this afternoon. Early on, there was a prosecutor nakita ko na noong as early as 25 years ago kung gaano kahirap ang labanan sa droga.

Iyong mga kaso ko sa korte duma-dive because the evidence na binigay sa akin ay tawas. So ako ‘yung — I had the burden of bearing the brunt of the court sa mga panahon na ‘yon.

Alam ko that within the law enforcement agencies there was a lot of corruption in Davao City. So noong na-mayor ako I was a prosecuting fiscal before I became the vice mayor, OIC appointed kami doon, Cory’s time. Noong naging vice mayor ako medyo nakita ko na ‘yung malawak na kung saan-saan dinadaan. When I became mayor, I only had one statement to make at that time.

Sabi ko: “I intend to build a city that is comfortable for all the people. Do not destroy our children because they are our only wealth — ang mga anak namin — kasi ‘pag tanda na kami, sila naman ang magpapakain sa amin ng lugaw.” As what we are doing to our parents, and their parents, and the parents of their parents for generations. Sabi ko, “huwag ninyong — do not destroy the youth. Do not destroy my country because if you destroy the youth, wala na kaming maasahan sa aming kinabukasang buhay.” Sabi ko, “’pag ginawa mo ‘yan, p******* i** ninyo, papatayin ko kayo.”

Well, I could not make it more lucid, so to speak. Si Wilkins pati si Cuy served in Davao for many years at magkakilala kami, at nagkakaintindihan kami. So alam namin ang trabaho namin. I value their friendship and I can say without any fear of contradiction that they are the finest of the finest of the law enforcement dito sa atin. Nagkaintindihan kami.

So nalinis ko ang Davao not only drugs but sabi ko kidnappers, holduppers. Pagka ayaw ninyo sinasabihan ko na kayo, do not blame me later on.

So iyan. That brought me to the portals of the human rights. You know human rights, as I’ve said before, you are preoccupied with the health and life of the criminals who are the drug pushers and the drug lords.

Me, as mayor and now as President, I have to protect every man, woman, and child from the evils of drugs. Ayaw ninyong maniwala, kayo. Basta sinabi ko ang laro dito patayan because nakita mo naman marami naman akong pulis na patay.

It’s not a minimal number. I have lost police kaya ako ganoon sa kanila, itong si Wilkins pati… ‘Pag sila ang namatayan, ganoon na lang ang galit ko kung bakit namatay ‘yung pulis o ‘yung taga-PDEA. Akala ko ba kayo ang mag-raid, kayo ang may armas? Eh ‘di p***, barilin na lang ninyo.

Any overt act, maski mag — maski mag — in the act of magbunot maski wala pang baril nakita. If that hands wriggles in into the waist, means to — baril ‘yan. At lahat itong mga durugista may baril. May pantabla na ‘yan talaga sila.

Kaya to this day, I say to the human rights, I don’t give a s*** with you. My order is still the same. Eh kung ayaw nila, paalamin nila kung saan, ako na mismo.

Kasi galit ako. Let me just stick to one topic dito sa droga. Itong lima, isang pamilya, ‘pag tinamaan itong tatay, wala na. Ang nanay, tatlong anak, babagsak ‘yan dahan-dahan. Away, kung ano-ano na lang nagbubugbog ng anak, nagbubugbog ng asawa. The family becomes totally dysfunctional.

Tapos ang asawa maghanap ng paraan para makapag-aral ang anak niya, mapakain niya. She is forced to go to the recruiters, itong mga ulol naman sa human trafficking. Isa pa rin ‘yan, mainit ako masyado diyan. Ilagay ko kayo sa listahan, mga…

Habang — magpunta ng abroad, maiwan ang bata, teenager, ‘yung isa ibigay na lang doon sa tatay. Ultimately, magsabog-sabog ‘yan. Ang tatay may trabaho at two — magkano suweldo niya? Three hundred a day lang? Five hundred? Two hundred ‘yang isang tira. Ewan ko magkano na ang street level ano. Wala, sasabog ‘yan.

Itong asawa magpunta ng Middle East. Hindi naman sa lahat ng lugar pero there are places in the Middle East when you work for them, you are a slave either because you are paid or because you are bought from the slave markets of Africa.

Pagkatapos noon, ayon, trabaho na siya, re-rape-in pa, tiisin niya, sikmurain niya, tanggalin niya — ilang beses ‘yan sila magpa-abort ng… Abort nang abort, abort nang abort ‘yan. Bugbog ang katawan niyan.

Ngayon, itong tatay maglasing, kung anong gagawin, mag-gangster, magnanakaw. Ang mga bata wala na. Either pupunta rin sa droga o kawawa. Nandito sa isang pamilya. Multiply it with the so many thousands in our midst, even here. Hindi ko sinasabi ano ang lugar.

Kung may isang pamilya lang kada bahay tinamaan diyan sa squatters’ area, problema na ng society. Hindi lang ‘yan masakit para sa akin. Kaya ako wala akong pakialam diyan sa human rights.

Now I’m telling the law enforcement, the uniformed personnel: Do your duty. Do it in accordance with law pero be alert and be wise. Alam mo kaunting pagkamali lang, barilin mo na. Because if you are not — maunahan ka o maalanganin ka, na-leche na.

I will assume full legal responsibility. Akin, akin ‘yan. Iyang human rights, ako ang magharap niyan, hindi naman kayo. Ako ang kung saan nila gustong… Sabi ko pagkatapos ko ng Presidente, fine. Sayang naman pinagpraktisan ko sa korte p***** i** kung hindi ko malibre ang sarili ko.

Remember, I never mentioned any particular name. I said “go out and destroy”. Iyan ang sinabi ko dito sa dalawang ito. “Go out in the city and destroy the apparatus”, sabi ko. Do not kill intentionally or killing, that’s murder. But kung may baril at nakabunot pa lang o nasa baywang na, barilin mo na kasi bubunot talaga ‘yan at ikaw ang mamamatay.

So that’s my only message to you. Huwag kayong matakot. Ako ang haharap niyan. Akin ‘yan. Kung sa Bisaya pa, sa hantak akin ‘yang antog. That’s mine and mine alone.

So ganoon ang guidance ko sa inyo. But as far as you can really do it in accordance with law. Pero ‘pag naalanganin ka na o you suspect na maunahan ka, patayin mo na para tapos na, one less idiot in this world.

So iyon lang ang message ko sa inyo. I salute you for your undying patriotic fervor. I salute you because you understand the problem and because you worry about your country. I salute you because tayo lahat sa gobyerno magkasama and we protect each other, and I will protect you.

And if you are in prison na nagbarilan lang kayo, nagbunutan kung sino lang mauna… Kasi there’s one — there’s one lady who said na — ‘yung may nagbarilan na pulis na — she commented na, “Eh kung ang baril nandiyan pa sa holster, mayroon bang aggression?”

Hindi, walang aggression galing sa law enforcement. Ang aggression mag-umpisa roon. Kaya kung ‘yung p*** — sorry. May holster, barilin mo na. Talagang bubunot ‘yan. Otherwise, bakit mag-holster-holster siya ng baril? Or if there’s an overt act of parang magbunot, unahan mo na. Mamamatay ka talaga sa laro dito. You have to be I said, street-smart, alert, brave.

Eh tutal ang buhay ganoon lang naman kung panahon mo na, panahon mo naman talaga maski ano mong iwas. Trabaho lang. At kung magtrabaho kayo nang husto, ako’y magpapasalamat sa inyo.

Maraming salamat po.

— END —

Source: PCOO-PND (Presidential News Desk)