Pres. Rodrigo Duterte shared his belief that no one from the new generation of politicians can be the next president during the oath-taking ceremony of newly appointed officials at the Palace.
“Frankly, wala akong nakikita, wala pa akong nakita na pwede talagang maging presidente. Alam mo sa totoo lang, kung president ka, hindi ka marunong pumatay, at takot ka mamatay, eh wag ka na lang mag-presidente, walang mangyayari sa’yo (Frankly, I haven’t seen anyone who can be the next president. Honestly, if you’re a president and you don’t know how to kill or if you are afraid to die, then don’t be a president. Nothing will happen to you),” he said.
In his speech, the Chief Executive revealed his plan to complete the list of officials he will dismiss from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) who are allegedly involved in the “pastillas” bribery scheme.
“Almost every day may pinapaalis ako na tao. Sinisikreto ko lang na umalis ka na lang (I dismiss people almost every day. I secretly tell them to just leave). Today, I think I have to complete the list of officials that I’m going to fire, to dismiss from the bid, sa (at the) Bureau of Immigration,” he said.
The President also talked about the issue on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United States of America (USA) and the Philippines, since he earlier met with US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim who will be transferred to Indonesia.
“Tinanggal ko yung VFA, sila naman ngayon ‘yung lapit nang lapit (I got rid of the VFA, and now they keep coming to me). Kaya sinabi ko, ulitin ko (So I said, “I repeat”): ‘How can it be wrong, when can it be wrong?’ Kung magsabi ako (When I say), do not destroy my country because I will kill you, that is the preservation of my people,” he said.
“‘If you destroy society, anong maiiwan sa amin, ang hirap pa namin (What will be left of us, we are poor)?’ sinabi ko sa kaniya (I told him),” he added.
