[Could somebody please order the troops to… at rest–]

Secretary Delfin Lorenzana; Secretary Esperon; General Año; Lieutenant General Miranda; Lieutenant General Edgar Fallorina; Vice Ronald Joseph Mercado; Police Director Ronald Dela Rosa; Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez; Lieutenant General Del Rosario; Brigadier General Ronaldo Joselito Bautista; the officers and troops of the 2^nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade; mga kababayan.

We are in a conflict. It is not a war. But, this is a, this have been a festering… Parang sugat ba na ayaw na gumaling. It sticks everyday. Araw-araw makikita mo hubag.

So, it finally came to a head and much as I really hate to order an offensive against the Maute and the rest of the terrorists, napipilitan akong mag-martial law because of the so many factors involved.

One, at the earliest during my first command conference with the officers men of the Armed Forces pati Police. Sabi ko, takot ako in the horizon looms big and clear itong contamination ng ISIS.

Long before, ang ating mga official were really warning us that there is this intent ng mga radicals, extremists to establish a caliphate, parang kingdom that would comprise Mindanao, Indonesia, and Malaysia and perhaps Brunei.

‘Yun ang takot ko. Ngayon, it seems that there is now an active group of… in these places, started by two brothers.

Police kasi ‘yang Maute. They were policemen in Manila who got enamoured with the money of shabu.

Umuwi dito and established one of the biggest factories of shabu in Lanao Del Sur.

And, with the money that they got, to fuel the movement, ‘yun ang ginamit nila. And remember that itong mga baril nila, the arms in their hands, locally generated ‘to.

About the only time na masabi ko sa inyo, sa aking katagalan sa gobyerno, about the only true importation that was really made or attempt was the one ‘yung Karagatan.

It was from another country to Vietnam tapos pumunta sa atin.

But aside from that, all these years, patay sila dito, patay doon pati ‘yung mga criminal. And sad to say, some were stolen, some were kinuha lang diretso-diretso.

Kaya ngayon, meron tayong formidable enemy. And I am here to just give you the consoling advice that we do this for the country.

Walang gustong mamatay dito, pati ‘yang mga Moro diyan. Walang gustong sumali sa salpukan ng kamatayan.

But because of their belief now that they are solid and what started to be purely as a shabu business, napasukan ng bakokang ‘yung utak and they imported Hapilon who was anointed by the ISIS in the Middle East as their man here.

So ‘yung mga ganon na ‘to, ipso facto it is also like dual ‘yan siya. He’s revered as a leader sa Muslim faith which is fundamentally feudal, pati ‘yan, this is merged into one.

So you can say that the ISIS is here already. The fact that they were flying the flags. Although masabi natin ‘yung iba damay na lang, maybe disgruntled followers of a politician o ‘yung may galit sa gobyerno.

So ‘yan ang problema natin. And you’re going to fight. I have to fight everyday until this conflict is dissolved. I could only pray for you, pray for my policemen that they will be, there will be a deliverance from harm, na sana wala masyado tayong tama.

And because we have the weapons and the equipments and we have the air assets to help you, we will try our very best na magamit lahat to protect you at the time when you are fighting.

Pero ako, nandito ‘yung brod ko, si Atty Mamao. He’s a Maranao. You must know that my lola is a Maranao. Lolo ko Chinese. Tatay ko Bisaya.

So kami ni Dubs, mag-brod kami, Major ‘yan siya sa Reserve.

May inutusan ako sa kanya to do something for me. But my message mainly to the terrorists on the other side is kung madala pa natin ito ng usapan.

‘Yung talagang out na out na terorista na and if you cannot be convinced to stop fighting, so be it. Away na lang tayo.

But sabi ko nga, pumunta, umuwi siya dito. Sabi ko magkita tayo bukas dito at kausapin mo ‘yung mga neutral. At may mga plano ako. We will know later on. So, kinakausap ko ngayon ‘yung, ‘yung for example the Mayor here.

He’s not really siding with anybody. If at all, he’s just there as Mayor trying to defend his honor and his position. I cannot go into a guessing game.

Pero meron ring naiwan pa. Mas marami pa. So, I also sent Secretary Alonto. He’s not here. Nandiyan daw, doon Marawi ngayon, in the downtown.

Sabi ko sa kanya, ayaw kong maraming patay. Kung gustong nilang kausapin ko lang sila.

But if they can really put down their arms. Pero ang utos ko naman sa tropa is lahat ng tao na hindi authorized ng gobyerno na magdala ng baril at lumaban, patayin ninyo. Ubusin na lang ninyo.

Kasi ganon rin ang labas eh. He will come back to fight for another day.

But if they want to talk, I would be most thankful to Allah na mag-usap tayo [ng kapayapaan?]. Kung maglaban sila, wala tayong magawa. Go for it.

At may full support kayo sa akin. I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel to look for money to see you through.

Basta lahat ng kailangan ninyo, ibigay ko. Lahat. Hintay-hintay lang kayo sa mga bagong baril. Kay kagaling ko lang sa Russia. Naputol pa ‘yung visit ko, but I had the chance to talk with Putin. He–

Sabi ko nga na ano, I wanted to talk to him last minute. Maski na mga ano lang, say hello, goodbye. And I was called to his palace, together with Cayetano Senator, pati si Secretary Lorenzana.

Siya nga ang ginaganon ni Putin eh ‘Yung listahan mo, saan na? Tatlong beses. Kaya malaki ang tenga ni Defense Secretary paglabas. Sigurado at meron ditong communiqué kanina na sabi ko ayaw kong maghingi. Just give me a soft loan. Hindi ako maipit. Magbayad ako dahan-dahan.

And I mentioned the weapons, hindi naman ano. ‘Yung ordinary ano… rebellion. This is not a war.

But there are weapons or armaments that we must have to effectively fight lalo na to prevent collateral damage.

Because if the people are against us. Medyo mahirapan tayo. But if we can inflict damage only to those who want to fight and contain the firefight between combatants, that would be the best solution.

But I am here to say to you, fight and I will pray for you. And I will answer for everything. Huwag na kayong mag-ala-ala.

During martial law, your commanders, you, you can arrest any person, search any house. Wala ng warrant. Kagaya noon. Aso lang. Could be signed by General Año.

He’s supposed to retire next week pero I have extended his tour of duty to six months. Sino ‘yung papalit kanya, another six months. Then we shall try to correct it maybe four years after.

Para hindi rin ma-deprive ‘yung masunod. Hindi kakainin ‘yung kanya.

But I do not change horses midstream. So as is lang muna tayo. Let us concentrate on this problem, solve it, and try to correct the organizational aberration in due time.

In the meantime, fight for the country. Ako, kung maari lang kung pwede lang rin ako makisali sa inyo, sasali ako. 

Kaya lang, ang isang kilometro sa akin, wala na. Limang araw na walang chok chak ‘yan kasi wala na, inutil. Naglabasan ang rayuma pati arthritis. Kung nabata lang ako na Presidente, sasali ako sa inyo. Eh ‘yung gusto ko ‘yung baril-barilan eh.

It’s late in the day. I’m a leader, I’m supposed to show the way. Pero kung saan ninyo ako gusto, ipatawag ninyo, tawagin mo ‘yan si Mayor, papuntahin mo dito. Pupunta ako.

Huwag kayo mag ala-ala. Sasamahan ko kayo. I will… If you go down, I go down. But for this martial law and the consequences of martial law and the ramifications of martial law, I and I alone would be responsible, trabaho lang kayo. [applause] Ako ng bahala.

Ako na ang magpakulong sa inyo. Pag naka-rape ka ng tatlo, aminin ko na akin ‘yun. Pag nag-asawa ka ng pang-apat, t*** i** bugbugin ka ng—

Ito si Delfin, naabutan– When I was Mayor many years ago sa Davao, si Secretary Lorenzana was… he brought in the second ranger sa Davao, diyan sa kampo na—

So we became friends. So was his successor, si Colonel [Ariola?] but he was killed by the NPA in Laguna. They say, I don’t know, but palagay ko ganon nga ang nangyari. 

All of, lahat ng dumaan sa Davao kilala ko. And they are all good men. [Rolly?] you’re, was my, sa PSG. He was the group. 

Kaya nga, sabi ko sa kanya, go into the service para may ano kayo. Wala kayong silbi ng ano. Maski ako. Kung ako ang sundalo, ayaw ko magpa-assign ng opisina, mamatay ka lang diyan na. So that is how it is.

You know, in a war— But there is always a time for everything. A time to be rich, a time to have plenty of money, a time of want, a time for birthdays, and a time of gaiety, a time for sorrow, a time to be enemies. But there’s always a time to be friends. Ganon ang buhay.

A time to be born and a time to die. Ganon lang ang istorya talaga sa buhay. If you have a bible in your hands, read Ecclesiastes 3. Ecclesiastes 3. 

‘Yan lang ang page na binabasa ko sa bibliya.  You know why? Kung may problema ka sa mundong ito, maski ano. Basahin mo. Sabihin sa bibliya, lahat dito may panahon. 

Kung umiiyak ka ngayon, sabihin sa’yo panahon mong umiyak ka. But may panahon ka rin na tatawa ka. And a panahon to be young and a time to be old.

A time to be strong. At kagaya ko ngayon, maraming… ayan rayuma, arthritis. Gusto ko mang sumali sa inyo ng labanan hanggang pasakay-sakay na lang ako.

So there is a time for everything. This time, this is a time for victory. We will not lose it. How can we lose it? We have everything. Wala kayong problema. I will take care of you. Masugatan ka. Magarasan ‘yang paa mo. 

You have a hospital na modernized na. I bought all the equipments. I built you a new building. ‘Yung luma ninyo diyan sa medical center, sabi ko, do not use that. You rehabilitate. I’ll build you a better one.

So wala kayong dapat alalahanin. And you can use… I do not use my presidential plane. Binigay ko na ‘yan sa Armed Forces pati sa pulis for your use. 

And if there’s any emergency that you should be brought to Manila for medical attention, gamitin ninyo. Inyo na ‘yan. Ako mag-commercial. Minsan kung makahingi ng maliliit na… But papalit-palit ako.

‘Yung lahat ng eroplano sa gobyerno is at your disposal. Gusto ninyo kargahan ng tao, for the wounded to be transported. 

And you have the best medical equipments available. Binili ko na. Nandoon. So walang rason na matalo tayo dito, talagang panalo tayo.

Panahon sa panalo ‘to eh. And we will overcome and we will win. Right?

[2MIB Yes sir!]

Sige. Ingat lang. 

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