Duterte recalls long road to presidency

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Before President Rodrigo Duterte was mayor of Davao City, he had the lowest job in the city's prosecution office. 

In the command conference at the police headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Duterte made a little trip to memory lane as he shared in his speech his life before he was a politician.

When he became a lawyer in 1972, which according to him was a crucial time as it was the same year when Martial Law was declared, he said, "Times were hard back then," adding that he needed to support a family of three.

"The salary was not that good so I applied for a position at the prosecutor's office in Davao City," he continued.

He became the special counsel of the office which he referred to as the lowest rank there. If it is compared to the military, he will be that of a lieutenant and an inspector in police.

Duterte recalled that it was also a time in Davao City when no fiscals in the city will accept the task of prosecuting military offenders, police offenders and rebellion leaders.

"I was pushed to that task and I took it as part of the job, you know how I handled your cases, you know how I helped the government to discipline you," he added.

He exercised the law and punished those who deserve to be punished.

Duterte also shared a time when he was already mayor of Davao City when members of New People's Army (NPA) engaged in a firefight against the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"The soldiers sought refuge in a house and all members of that family died," he recalled.

The president added that a public outcry broke out after that incident and people were condemning the actions of the military. Even the secretary of the Department of Justice at that time arrived in the city to investigate on the matter.

"I was the investigating fiscal and I said it was part of the territory, it was a collateral damage," this was his brow-raising answer to the court.

He then proceeded to saying that, "if you have any other theory or if you want to overthrow my ruling, I will accept it but also, accept my resignation as city mayor."

Duterte stood by his previous statements that he will stand for the military and the police.

"It is a matter of principle that I will stand by them (law enforcers) when war came and when war will come at the country. But I will be the first one to crack them if they are into crime," he clarified.

Duterte said in his speech, he will not tolerate abuses committed by law enforcement agencies.

"Just do not do shit with me, I will die for you. Do your duty and if in the process you kill 1,000 persons because you were doing your duty, I will protect you," he ended.