Ang akong mata limitado. Ang makit-an ani dili laki, babae ra gyud. [audience laughter] Di ko kakita’g laki unya mga gwapa ra gud. [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: Yung aking mata, limitado. Ang mga nakikita ko hindi lalaki, babae lang talaga. Hindi ko makita ang mga lalaki, yung mga magaganda lang.)

Ang problema ani, naadto na ko sa tanang foundation day, anniversary. Ang itagbo nila sa akua, tag-as kaayong mga babae. Walay katupong nimo ba nga patas ang laban. [laughter] PDP Laban ra ba ta. [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: Ang problema nito, nakapunta na ako sa lahat ng foundation day, anniversary. Ang ipapares pa naman sa akin, matatangkad talaga na mga babae, hindi mo mga ka-height. [laughter] PDP Laban pa naman tayo.)

Well, anyway, I’ll just pay my respects to Governor Del Rosario, Senator Angara, Sonny is here; si Vice Governor Alan Dujali, Mayor Allan Rellon, Mayor Maria Theresa Timbol; Postmaster General Joel Otarra, thank you for that commemorative stamp, sir; mga kauban na ko sa gobyerno, ang akong mga kaigsuunan, maayong hapon kaninyong tanan.

Kani bang speech nako, duha lang ka pages, ‘maayong adlaw sa tanan’ [audience laughter] Alkanse ko sa gasolinang yawa. [audience laughter, cheering]

(TRANSLATION: Itong speech ko, dalawang pages lang, ‘good morning to everyone’ Lugi ako sa gasolina, yawa.)

You know, I got three invitations today coming from the local government units that were converted into provinces some 50 years ago.

I remember this place because my father was one of the original lawyers of an association noon. Actually, UTA pa rin – the Tagum tillers who tilled the land and there was a case in the issuance of titles and my father was just about, he was very young and I was only — 1950 when I was a child.

Ang tawag namo nari “Ugpo.” That’s the original name of Tagum and by the grace of God, my father became governor but in 1967, ’68, he died. And the one province, one huge province of Davao was divided into four local governments.

Davao City which Lopez — kasi brod man niya si Presidente Marcos, sa Sigma Rho, he was retained as the mayor of the city of Davao.

Then ito, dito naibigay kay Bul-anon ang daghan diri actually sila who got that… nakalimutan ko.  It’s a vague memory but nanggana dire, na-appoint and simply it was severely a gerrymandering.

You divide local — one big piece of property, you divide it to accommodate political leaders, which is also good. But that is not the usual practice. But I think that dividing Davao — Davao Oriental also invited me to be there today but I could only accommodate about two.

Sabi ko na ibang panahon na lang kayo because I have to travel to Oriental then cross again. You know my day, hindi ko naman dine-deny ‘yan. My day starts at one.

I work but at one o’clock, after lunch, pagkaligo na ko niyan, I do not have any nocturial life – adventures, wala na. Matanda na ako. I usually sign papers, ganon kakapal lalo na kung hindi ako mag-report sa bahay ko diyan sa, by the river.

Ayaw ko tawagin ‘yan ng “Palasyo,” kasi hindi naman palasyo. I do not like the term “Palace.” It’s just the residence of a co-worker of government, pareho tayo. And I get to — [applause] 

You know being a lawyer, and going by the past experiences of presidents, delikado ba. You just sign the — even if it is already a processed one coming from your assistance, you still have to read lalo na ‘yung mga contracts because sometimes that is where the flag, the red flag is.

You know, I hate corruption and if there’s one thing that hindi ka talaga makalusot sa akin is do not do it. Because I’m not doing it and I have never done it in the 23 years of my mayorship in the city and a congressman for one term and another term during the mayorship of my daughter. Noong panahon na nambugbog itong si Inday ng sheriff.

So ayon. That’s my life. I read documents, ‘di ko pinapa-ano ‘yan. Then I have to study.

And I — you know, I am today with a heavy heart because by the time I reach home, nandoon na ‘yung papel na briefer for the day and andoon ‘yung mga narratives.

It’s a sort of a journal like the police but it’s makapal, it’s a narrative of today’s events that’s happening in Marawi and I get to read the so many soldiers and police who are dying.

You know, I… it’s almost like akin, pareho ng guilt feelings pero trabaho ko kasi. My only consoling issue there is that I have to do it because it is my constitutional duty to preserve and defend the Filipino people. Wala akong magawa diyan but I — when I read the, ‘yung patay, lalo na sa mga sundalo.

If there is one person in this Republic, in this country who is really traveling with a heavy heart, it’s me because I ordered the Armed Forces and the police to go there and fight and perhaps, to die.

So every time I read the casualties, parang it’s very unsettling, gilok sa lawas (TRANSLATION: it’s gruesome) ‘di ko malaman kung anong gawin ko but I cannot stop the fighting because I will never, never, never compromise with terrorism.

You know I can perhaps understand, alam mo ‘yung mga komunista, gahi lang mo’g ulo eh. At no other time na kung may Presidente na pwede ‘yung mag-usap ng ganito.

Until now, there is no ceasefire, we have continued fighting but walang mga aresto. And even when you go downtown and — it is as if it’s still there. You know—

Maminaw mo karon, mura ra mo’g nagparevise [inaudible] ra mo diha.

(TRANSLATION: Makinig kayo ngayon, parang nagparevise [inaudible] kayo diyan.)

Would you kindly stop fighting? Wala man koy gipangayo. (TRANSLATION: Wala naman akong hinihingi.) 

Ang problema, itong, kayong mga komunista, you do not want my soldiers —  “my” because ako ang Commander-in-Chief eh tsaka parang personal na mga anak ko ‘yun. Ako ‘yung nag-utos sa kanila na — because they have to patrol and control every inch of the territory.

Do not give me that s*** na ‘nisulod man gud ang inyong mga sundalo mayor sa among —‘

(TRANSLATION:  — na pumasok kasi yung mga sundalo mo mayor sa aming —‘)

That’s b*** s*** — I am the President and I will never allow that proposition. Though we are not there all the time, we cannot guard every inch of this Republic but I must insist that I, I own the Republic in behalf of the Filipino people every inch of the way.

So ayaw ko’g tagai ana nga naa moy teritoryo (TRANSLATION: So huwag niyo akong bigyan niyang meron kayong teritoryo), that I will recognize because I will not do it. One, it is wrong. Second, it is a difficult stand. 

O ngayon, itong… kayong mga komunistang nakikinig ngayon, marami. Unsa pa? (TRANSLATION: Ano pa?) [laughter]

Talawan man diay. [laughter] sige sila’g taas og kamot, labot mo’g bagtas bukid mag gunit og pusil, hambugero kaayo. [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: Takot naman pala, [laughter], taas ng tas ng kamay, malakas ang loob maglakad sa bukid na may dalang armas, mayabang.) 

You know I was… Alam mo ba itong mga buang na ito? At when I was vice mayor, ‘yung sa setup sa old, just before the regular revolutionary government ni Cory, I was appointed vice governor for one year. I went diyan sa Paradise [inaudible]. Alam mo ang ginawa nitong mga buang na ito? Hinold (hold) ako tapos kinangaroo (kangaroo) court ako.

At sabi nila, ito ‘yung fiscal na nagpo-prosecute sa atin. Sabi ko, “Totoo. Ano pala ang gawain ko sa inyo? ‘Yan ang trabaho ko.” Sabi nila, “’Di wala. Ito firing squad.” Sabi ko, “Look.” Magkinig na ‘yan sila ngayon, tanungin mo.

Sabi ko, “Adre, lahat ng tao namamatay sa mundong ito. Walang lulusot. Kung patayin ninyo ako, susunod rin kayo. Pero let it be known that you killed me because I was doing my duty as a prosecutor.” ‘Yan lang ang gusto kong malaman ng tao. [Applause]

Kaya sabi ko, “Patayin ninyo ako, mas madali. Mabuti nga ‘yung bala kaysa sakit, eh.” Eh, kung mag kirig kirig ka’g Malaria, ‘di [laughter] totoo.

And you know, we can talk. But do not give me a double face. Ako, nakapag-[inaudible] lang ako because I know practically everybody. We used to talk. We were friends. But that was during the time when I was mayor. I was not then burdened with the responsibility of running the country.

Eh ngayon, iba na ang sitwasyon. ‘Pag kinalaban mo ‘yung pulis ko, ‘pag binaril mo ‘yung sundalo, kalaban talaga tayo. Kung magbarilan tayo, ‘di magbarilan. ‘Yan ang ano ko diyan… But can you just stop fighting for a while?

Kasi, ang sabi ng mga lider ninyo sa Europe, there will be a ceasefire. Una, sabi ng leader ninyo, that the… you were to engage government forces. Tapos, they realized now, at this very late day, that wala kang makuha diyan sa terorista.

There will never be a political, social or economic space for you communists if it is terrorism that prevails the day. Wala kayong makuha diyan. And the terrorists — itong terorista, walang ideology ‘yan.

It is far distant from Islam, which they have corrupted to keep people in the name of God. Wala kayong makuha diyan sa anong nationalism.

Ang MI, MNLF, mak — makasabot ko. I can understand you. That is why I have not declared any overt action against you. I want to talk to you because I know, ang inyo was just a rising nationalism. Alam ko na… meron man akong mamang mestisang Maranao. You all know that, okay. And my father was a Chinese, Lam.

Siguro, basin ig-agaw nako tung Lam nga sugarol na p***** i**ng [inaudible] Patayin ko yung buang.

(TRANSLATION: Siguro pinsan ko yung sugarol na p***** i**ng si Lam. Papatayin ko yung buang.)

Alam mo, ang MI, MN was a product of a sense of nationalism. You know why? Before Magellan landed in Leyte in 1521, Islam was already ahead in Mindanao by 50 years. Sabi nila, 100 years.

But when I was a congressman, I had the chance to go around Southeast Asia and I dig — dug into the archives. At alam ko itong history ng Southeast Asia, the movements of people and of the natives here.

Puro tayo Malay eh. Indonesian, Malaysian. Kaya lang, nauna dito ang Islam. Doon naman, we were subdued by the Spaniards. And that subjugation was not also easy to accept in the sense that it was also brutal and cruel.

Noon, ‘pag ‘di ka makakalikom, patay ka. Baka akala mo ‘yung inquisition ng… may pari dire? [laughter] 

You know, the inquisition of Europe and everywhere else came from the Catholic Church. Kita mo si Father GOMBURZA, ‘yung tatlong pari na Pilipino na [inaudible] og tuok (TRANSLATION: …yung sinakal) 

Because you know, if you talk independently of the Catholic church noon, you are a heretic and you… they’d torture you to death.

The first tribe, or whatever religion that embarked on this inquisition, ang Katoliko. Pero over the years, nabuotan na sila, og katong niaging eleksyon, nagbinuang na pud ang mga y*** [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: …naging mabait sila, and nung nakaraang eleksyon, naglololoko nanaman ang mga y***.)

T*** i**ng mga obisp — nay Obispo dire? [laughter] Sige lang pang-atake. You know, kita mo ‘yung isang araw. Or was it four days ago?

A grandmother, a wife, three children, patay. [speaks Bisaya] anong sinabi ng p***** i** niya? “Trip trip lang ‘yun, sir.”

Most of the time, itong human rights defend criminals. Wala na silay kliyente na dili criminal. Kay kung sabihin mo lang na abuso sa pulis o military, we in the government, in the military, in the police, can’t handle it. 

Kay kanang patay sa gawas, wa moy labot ana.

(TRANSLATION: Kasi yung mga patay sa labas, wala kayong pakialam niyan.)

I have the daily briefer, and you can see, “Arrested, arrested. Nine neutralized, but one or two…” You know, shabu is a deadly game. It’s just like in Latin America. Now they are fighting for a territory. Territorial na ang away. 

Ang uban, dili mamayad, dili muremit. Eh patyon ka gyud ana na imong mga tagadon, mga pobre. Mao nang kalisod dira, kay mao nang dali nga trabaho.

(TRANSLATION: Yung iba, hindi nagbabayad o nagreremit, eh papatayin ka talaga niyan sa inyong pinapansin, mga pobre. Yan yung mahirap, yun ang madaling trabaho.)

That is why we are trying our best to improve the economy of the country so that we can give gainful employment for everybody. As it is, kulang tayo ng mga trabahante. Kasi atin ‘yung mga plumber, ‘yung mga expert electricians, nandoon na sa Middle East. But if you go to Davao today, if you are not able to go back within a month’s time, you see a new building.

Ako, matingala [inaudible] hangtod —

(TRANSLATION: Nagtataka ako [inaudible] hangang—)

And it is last night, it was reported that we heard, ang Davao City, the highest — nine percent ang domestic growth.

Igo nako’g ihawak ang mga p****g i** muabot gud diha.

(TRANSLATION: Hinahawakan ko lang yung mga p***ng i** dumarating diyan.)

Look, for all… Sa lahat — military, civilian, police, religious — when I was mayor, sabi ko, “Do not destroy my country. Do not deprive us of our young children. ‘Yan ang pag-asa naming, kinabukasan.” Hindi tayo mayaman. Kaya ‘yang helicopter, hindi akin, inyo ‘yan. Gusto niyo ibigay ko na lang sa inyo ‘yan (Laughter). Para service ninyo Davao diri. Hindi ko man kailangan ‘yan. Matagak na’g una, awa ra. (TRANSLATION: Mauuna yan na magcrash, tignan niyo.)

Do not do that pagkat.. pagka tudluan nato, kinsa may muhungit sa atong ba-ba? Sino ang magpakain sa atin sa ospital? Who will pay for our oxygens and the medicine? Tayong mga anak.

Ngayon, ang ating mga anak, ‘yan ang trabaho nila pagdating ng panahon. Eh kung gawain mong g*** itong mga anak ko, patayin ng kriminal. [inaudible] imong jugjugon?

Sino naman maligayahan na makita ka buhay ka? 

Sabi ko, “Do not destroy my country because I will really kill you.” Totoo talaga ‘yan. Ay, anak ng pu— 

Eh gusto nako karon ana na pud nagadala ko’g baril. [inaudible] [laughter]

Hindi, kasi ‘yung iba… mugakos ba, ana. Malay ko ba pag gakos inyo ra bang unahon. [laughter] Mura ba’g…  pag ana tapos … oy dibdib mo pala ito [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: Yung iba kasi maghuhug, ganyan. Malay ko ba pag hug nuyo, uunahin niyo pa naman yan. Akala mo namang ano, pag hug tapos… uy dibdib mo pala ito.)

Sabi ko, syempre… you would know when it… there… when it is really an attack. Ingnon nila nga putlan ka;g li-og sa Marawi, eh subukan mo daw be. Unsa man na murag buang, paputol ka’g li-og? Kaya nako’g putlan og u*** [laughter] Pirting pakpak  sa mga babae oh. Inyo lang bana nagabuhat ana, sus. Mayor Duterte duha, tulo’y asawa. T*** i** nang imong bana, sunda na sa [inaudible] [laughter]. Si mayor diri, pila nako na;g kit-an sa Davao [laughter] iyang asawa [laughter].

(Sabi nila puputulan ka ng leeg sa Marawi, edi subukan mo.Ano ba yan, parang baliw, magpapaputol ka ng leeg? Kaya kong putulin yung u*** [laughter] grabe ang palakpak ng mga babae o. Yung mga asawa niyo ginagawa yan, sus. Mayor Duterte, dalawa, tatlong asawa. T*** i** yung asawa mo, sundan mo [laughter]. Si Mayor dito, nakita ko na yan sa Davao ng maraming beses na kasama yung asawa niya.)

Alam mo, sa totoo lang, walay lalaki na hindi kumakaliwa. Tanggapin ninyo ‘yang mga asawa. Sa sampu, may mga tulu na buotan gyud. Totoo ‘yan. Isa doon, tatay ko. Tanungin mo ‘yang mga… ‘yung naabot… nakaabot ng tatay ko.

Akong tatay mukaon… mukaon, mukrus. Pero kaon na. Unya mulabay’g simbahan, krus. Naay kapilya, krus. Mga babae, dili man na tanan [laughter] kausa sige lag pangurus dira. Mga [inaudible] ma-impyerno ko sigeg pangurus.

(TRANSLATION: Yung tatay ko, nagsisign of the cross bago kumakain, tapos kung dumadaan sa simbahan, at pag may chapel. Yung mga babae, hindi naman lahat, once, puro sign of the cross. Mga [inaudible] pupunta ako ng impyerno sa kaka sign of the cross.)

Eh, kung nadadaan lang pala ito p****** i** sa krus-krusan, ‘di mangrus ako… Sige.

‘Yan ang isa diyan, terrorism. I cannot accept it. You are living witnesses to what is unfolding in the Middle East. Wala… there’s no redeeming values I know. Mao nang naingnan nako ang Armed Forces o ang Philippine National Police. We will not go out there until the last terrorist is executed.

Mahirap ‘yan ginagawa ninyo na ganon. Why would we allow you to destroy our country like that? Pati ‘yung droga. Tingnan mo naman kung pumatay. Pero ito, you can never hear the Human Rights or the human rights lawyers, O kanang mga bigaon nga sige ra’g yawyaw nga even just an expression of sympathy and condemnation. Wala.

And you know that everyday, as there is an addict that is killed, there is also an innocent person who is held up, ma-holdapan, mamatay, makawatan.

And these idiots just… he’s put a blind eye. [sings Malayo ang tingin]. Ay walang pakialam ang mga g***. Tapos ang ayaw ko dito, ito talaga, pumutok ako. Itong EU. Europeans. One of their suggestion was… pareho sa EU parang sa Netherlands… But if you have been to The Netherlands recently, or in Vancouver, Canada kay… peaceful na, beautiful place. Now, it’s dirty. Now, it’s almost… there is a mugging, naay patay. Why? Because ihatag nila ang mga shabu, cocaine, heroin. Libre. Na ‘yung mga clinic didto musulod kana.

The problem is, they might be… it’s an insatiable. You wake up for an… but they could have their fix for the day. Pero ang utok ng babae, they are imagining things hallugenic… hallucination. 

Mao nang manghilabot. Di na man hadlok pero karon nagmahay sila. Ngayon, gusto nila akong magtayo ng mga clinic. Sabi ko, p*****i**. Sabi ko, “come here to the Philippines and sa harap ko, sabihin mo sa  — p*****i** ka, sampalin talaga kita.”

Maski sinong ambassador, walang pakialam. L**** ka. Bunutan ta ka — Huwag mo kong ma — Because to me, that is an insult. Why would you suggest a thing like that?

Wala na nga akong pagkain para sa mahihirap. I do not  even have a good answer to, “Mayor, bakit mahirap pa tayo ngayon? Ang asawa ko walang trabaho.”

Kalisud-lisod. “Mayor, wala kaming makakain… nasa Marawi, ilang araw na.” And then you come here and then lecture on me. Tapos sabihin mo, “set up clinics and give them free shabu, cocaine, heroin?” ‘Nak ng…

Katilaw gud sila’g taga Davao na… Wala, honestly. P****** i**, sagpaon kita. Really. And if necessary, I will resign as President. Matanda na ‘ko. 72. I will be finished with this job 77 years old. Matanda na ako, wheelchair, dito na banda magsalita. [laughter] 

Ano pa man habulin ko sa buhay? Nothing to lo — do not f*** with me because I have nothing to lose. Ayan mga media o, taga-Manila na na. [laughter] Utro pud nang ABS pati Inquirer, walang ginawa kundi… [laughter] Eh totoo. 

Walang ginawa kundi mag-publish kayo ng ano. Kaming mga taga-gobyerno akala mo magnanakaw. Holdaper. Kayo. Mga l**** kayo. [laughter] Ayang Inquirer. Ang utang is 8 billion taxes. They occupy ‘yang Mile Long diyan Pasay, doon sa Makati. Ang contract na 50 years, naka-extension kausa. Why extension? Ang kita nung mga tindahan diha, sila’y gakolekta. They are not paying taxes.

Kaya ‘yang mga taga-Inquirer. Pero kung magsalita kayo kontra sa amin, akala mo sino kayong malilinis. Kayo ang mga tulisan, p****i** ninyo. Totoo. Kayo man ang tulisan. 

One of these days, I’m going to come up with an exposé. Pero… I will not allow you to do that to the Filipino people. You return the property to the Republic of the Philippines. ‘Pag ayaw ninyong isauli ‘yan, I will ask everybody, every Filipino, walang lupa.” Go to the Mile Long, occupy the place because it belongs to you.” 

Kaya ito ring korte. Itong mga… kayong mga judges, bantay kayo. [laughter] Hindi, ganito eh. Pag na gani bidding, maski Consunji at Ayala, nag-file o protesta, there is a bidding, everybody is represented. ‘Pag nai-bidding, matindi ang korte mag-restraining order. So the project is delayed. Pag kahuman, lahat ng protesta, there never was a finding that it was overpriced. It always ends up with an agreement na wala na lang niya. 

Ang kanang mga negosyante, mga y***. Ingna lang na sila “sige taga-i lang ko gamay” withdraw na ang kaso. So by the meantime, it is really at the expense of the Filipino people. Kaya ko kayong p***hin lahat diyan sa ano, balik kaso, wala kayong makuha sa akin. Wala akong sindikato. Wala akong negosyo. Ituro mo lang sa akin, babae. Tanan man ta. Si Rellon gani duha siguro uyab ana oh. [laughter]

Mayor… basta Mayor ka, mudagan ka nga walay gi-unfriend [laughter] Rellon, magpapari pari ka? Mag sige ra ka’g barog og muhatag anang kalawat, mura pud ka’g pari nabuang. [laughter] Di na madaog. Ayaw mo’g simba, gawas mo sa simbahan tan-aw mo’g mga gwapa unya sultii ko [laughter]

(TRANSLATION: Mayor, basta Mayor ka, tumakbo ka na walang inunfriend [laughter] Rellon, magpapari pari ka? Tayo ka ng tayo at magbibigay para sa communion, parang pari ka na baliw. [laughter] Hindi yan mananalo. Huwag na kayong pumunta sa loob ng simbahan, sa labas lang kayo ng simbahan at tumingin sa mga magaganda at sabihan niyo lang ako. [laughter])

Well, anyway, mao nang [inaudible] nga dili ko ninyo pwede ma — Do not come to me talking about drugs and terrorism. Mag-away lang tayo. Ma-explode… But kung anong problema mo, any other problem. Basta wala ‘yung graft and corruption sa gobyerno, trabaho, ganon. Okay. 

O maghingi ka ng project. Basta malinis lang, walang hao shao. At kung may pera, you want this road, a new road, ibigay ko. Total ang hati ko sa pera, equally talaga eh.

Sabi ko kay Finance, kay Sonny Dominguez, “divide it equally among all of us.” Walay… Walang pulitiko na makalapit sa akin ngayon, maghingi ng project diyan. I do not entertain it and I do not talk to them.

Sinabi ko noon na I have never talked about any project over the phone or any particular mga patronage. Totoo ‘yan. Wala akong cellphone. Hindi ako tumatanggap ng tawag. Lalo na ‘yang mga punta mga negosyante doon. I do not enjoy it. I mean, I’m kind of uneasy ‘pag kausap ko nun. Maraming istoryang hindi magandang lumabas. [inaudible] graft and corruption.

Wala ‘yan dito gobyernong ito. Basta may babahiran ka ng corruption, sorry. Pero kung magtrabaho ka diyan…

So taposin ko na itong speech. [laughter] But in fairness to the guy who wrote the speech. ‘Di ko pa naman… I will just read the last three paragraphs.

Rest assured that the government remains committed in fulfilling its promise in giving an equal share of the national wealth to Mindanao, including Davao del Norte. [applause]

Use the money to uplift the lives of your people and realize your great potential. All I ask in return is that you remain committed to the continuing war against illegal drugs, corruption, criminality, and terrorism. 

We must remain steadfast and united against these ills that threaten our existence and our way of life. 

Indeed, I believe that Davao del Norte, under the command of Governor del Rosario will continue to become one of the fastest-growing provinces in Mindanao.

With its vast resources and strong, resilient, and vibrant people, the province will be able to achieve greater development at par with the rest of the nation. 

Daghang salamat at maayong hapon kaninyong tanan. [applause] 

—END—