Kindly sit down. Thank you.

Will the great Commander Cadet Second Class Gilbert Ronquina Bustamante, kindly give the order of tikas pahinga for the troops.

My heartfelt congratulations to the 144 cadets, or 98 which is ever correct, who will be receiving their degree in Public Safety. I join your loved ones as you celebrate this significant milestone.

This day marks the end of your trials within the academy. From this day forward, you shall face another set of challenge… challenges and opportunities.

I hope that you will take to heart the principles of the Philippine National Police Academy that has been imparted to you.

In times when your resolve is being tested, always look back what drove you to become part of the police force.

On current war on illegal drugs and crime has claimed the lives of some of your comrades. More than just policemen and women, let us remember that those brave souls who were also family members who selflessly laid down their lives to see a better tomorrow for the present and future generation.

We will not allow them to become mere statistics. We owe it to them, to ourselves, to our children to ensure that their sacrifice will not be in vain. That they died so [we may] have peace and order and stability for our country today.

The government will ensure our policemen that their families will be taken care of. That is why we have increased the combat pay and incentives for our PNP uniformed personnel. I have also issued directives to provide assistance to the immediate families of your fallen comrades.

For the Masidlak Class of 2017, the arduous task of keeping our nation safe is just beginning. Never be discouraged, no matter how formidable the odds may be stacked against you.

You will find that the most daunting situations will bring out the best of the people. The government will be with you as you fight in the frontlines for that dream of a better tomorrow and safer Philippines.

You are part of the few who heeded the call to serve and emerged victorious. Losses and triumphs are inevitable in our ongoing battle against crime and corruption.

Remain strong in your heart and mind as you take in this great fight, because to see our country prosperous and our people safe and thriving will have sometimes entail your sacrifice.

Congratulations!

But, let me add something. Eh dalawang pages lang ‘to. [laughter]

I have so many things to tell you. Alam mo lahat ng, God forbid. I do not wish it upon anybody. Pero ‘yung mga anak ninyo, during my term and maybe thereafter, I’m looking for billions of pesos as a trust fund for your families. [applause]

Alam mo, tayong mga tatay, [applause] ngayon, lalo na ngayong mga anak pa kayong maliliit. What bugs us when we go out to fight and even to travel to dangerous places, ako man, I was once upon a time ahostage ng NPA at tinutukan ako ng baril na M-14 sa ulo.

I could feel the cold steel dito sa tem… Ang unang pumasok sa isip ko ‘yung anak ko nasa tiyan ng asawa, ‘yung Sebastian. ‘Yung walang ginawa kung hindi rin maghanap ng babae. [laughter]

Walang ginawa ‘yun… Sana pumunta na lang ‘yun sa PMA para mabugbog doon. [laughter]

Nasa tiyan ng nanay niya ‘yan eh at that time when I was—Nag-kangaroo court sila because I was the prosecutor sa mga NPA na nakulong.


Sinabi ko sa kanila, okay lang sa akin. But alam mo, sabi ko, namamatay lahat tao. Eh kung panahon ko na, ‘di panahon ko na.

Pero let the world know na pinatay ninyo ako dahil sa trabaho ko. ‘Yan lang. Just a little favor, partida para sa buhay ko. That you killed me because I was doing the prosecution work against your comrades.

Hindi tinuloy ng mga g***. Eh di ngayon, magpunta ako doon, sila pa magluto, sila pa mag-guwardiya sa akin. Eh ganon lang ang buhay.

So, pero ang nasa isip kasi natin, ang anak, pamilya. Mahirap ‘yan. That is why I will assure you now, I’ll make you the guarantee that I will leave a legislation that will put in trust so many billions, marami namang, dahan-dahan lang, over the [inaudible].

By the time I go out, ngayon ako na ang nagbabayad sa mga anak ng mga kasama ninyo na nasawi na sa buhay. At ‘yung mga asawa nila automatic, nandiyan si Secretary Sueno.

Tatanungin ko ‘yung biyuda, saan ka nakatira, kung may trabaho ka ba o wala. Then automatically, itatawag ko si Secretary Sueno, give her an employment nearest to the barangay where she lives.

So ‘yung mga bata, the Presidential Staff takes care of the expenses sa education at ‘yung mga naiwan na asawa, nasa gobyerno.

Automatic kaagad ‘yan. Pag nagbisita ako ng patay, nandiyan ‘yung DILG pati PMS. At huwag na lang ‘yang mga pera-pera but there’s money. But what is really very sure is that ‘yung asawa ninyo, pwera na lang kung tatlo, apat, mahirapan tayo diyan. ‘Di natin alam kung saan ilagay.

Ito pa namang pulis, ito ang pinakamaraming asawa. [laughter] Alam ba ninyo ‘yan? I’ve been mayor for 23 years. Every time I attend the burial of a police, either he died because of sickness or sa disgrasya, in about five burials, may dalawa talaga diyan na tatlo, apat ang pamilya. Sabay-sabay mag-iyak. [laughter]

Bakit kayo ganon? [laughter] Eh Mayor ng Davao tatlo lang. Kayo apat. [laughter] Anong klase? Nagkukompetensiya kayo eh.

You know why, kaya ako galit diyan sa ano… Your officers. My advice is ‘yung mga tao diyan na magpapatrol, nagpa-parking diyan sa mga cabaret, diyan sa mga inn. Ganon ‘yan eh. So ang magandang babae diyan, pupunta doon sa gangster, may pera o ‘yung pulis na matapang.

‘Yan diyan. Kaya ang Army wala eh. Sa bukid. Eh hindi na makakalabas ng kampo. Kayo patrol nang patrol. Puro babae ang pinapatrol, [laughter] ayan, nagkaka-problema tayo.

In Davao, I was very strict. I do not allow the parking of police jeeps sa, right beside ‘yung mga bar, ‘yung mga – kasi diyan nag-umpisa ang mga… nag-umpisa ang kalokohan.

Pero karamihan talaga, do not be insulted because it is true. At alam ko sa inyo, itong grupo na 98? Mga 20 niyan may dalawang asawa, tingnan mo. Ganun yan eh.

They used to rouse the city, the commercial — army hindi naman nakakalabas ng — pero ‘yang ano, you know, when you mag-ambisyon ka, ayan mapasubo ka, maghanap ka ng pera kasi maganda ‘yung babae. Eh ang magaganda naman puro shopping ang nalaman. P***** i**, saan tayo magkuha niyan? Ipapasok na ‘yang ganon.

In some places it is rampant. Manila is a very — pero huwag nalang natin kay — hundi naman natin pagsiraan ‘yan, lalaki sa lalaki lang ako, ‘yung mga ganun na problema, maaawa kayo sa mga bata.

But ‘yung mga nagtatrabaho, do not be afraid because we take care of your wives. They are – on that day, pag bisita ko, they are automatically employed. Then ang mga anak, we take care of the tuition fees. I hope it would be institutionalized and that is my dream about three to four years, in place na ‘yan.

So lahat. Lahat ng mga anak ninyo, hanggang college. Huwag naman ‘yung bugoy. Eh kung nagdodroga na, hindi natin pera ‘yan eh. But for those who are really, gusto nilang mag-aral, walang problema ‘yan. Government will take care over your worries. Yours: fight for the country, do it right.

You have been lectured on the rules on how to do it. Do it right. At kung napasubo kayo sa inyong performance of duty or duty-connected, ako ang may sagot niyan [applause] and I will provide the legal – Alam mo ang pulis, lalo na kung hindi official, on the day that they are suspended, wala nang pagkain at putol na ang pag-aaral ng mga bata.

There has to be a change in that law or regulation kasi masama na nga na may nangyari tapos madamay ang pamilya pati anak.

There has to be a way which you can continue receiving your salary for a while so that your family will have rice on the table and the children can continue with their studies.

It would not be fair na ipasubo mo ‘yung mga bata dahil ang tatay, may kaso. Bigamy. Tig-dalawang asawa, tig-tatlo. ‘Yan ang gusto kong pulis na pupunta sa opisina ko. Papiliin ko kayo. 

Noon sa mayor ako, tanungin mo ‘yung mga pulis diyan, tanungin mo si Dela Rosa. Either bugbugin kita sa harap ng misis mo na binugbog mo o file-an (file) kita ng kaso. Karamihan diyan nambubugbog ng asawa. Do not do that. Do not do that. 

Kayong mga kaso, naku, hindi ako makatulong sa inyo. Performance of duty, isang libo ang napatay mo, okay lang. I will defend you, I will protect you. [applause] Is that clear? I don’t hear any response from you. Is that clear? [PNPA graduates respond: “Yes, sir”] 

Basta ‘wag lang babae ha. Maya na pag matanda na kagaya sa akin kasi medyo, do not follow your leader. [laughter] ‘Yung leader niyo ‘yan sila, hindi ako. Thank you. 

—END—