‘I will end my term fighting’

Duterte’s Directives

1. Mayors, DILG chief Eduardo Año ordered to ensure that all business clearances and permits are out within three days

2. To ease Metro Manila traffic, all public roads used for private purposes must be reclaimed; Año will suspend local executives who refuse to cooperate

3. BARMM should fast-track setting up of regional governments

4. LandBank should go back to helping farmers and get out of commercial transactions or Duterte will abolish the bank

Legislative Priorities

• Restoration of death penalty for plunder, heinous crimes related to drugs

• TRABAHO bill

• Creation of new departments for OFWs, disaster resilience, water resources protection and management

• Revival of ROTC for Grades 11 and 12

• Another salary standardization law, to include teachers and nurses

• Increase in tobacco and alcohol excise taxes

•  Government right-sizing bill

• National Defense Act

• Amendment of Human Security Act

• Postponement of barangay/SK polls from May 2020 to October 2020

• Magna Carta for Barangays

• Fire protection modernization program

• Trust fund for coconut levy

• National Land Use Act

• National Valuation of Property Act

• Creation of National Academy for Sports

‘The enemy is us. We are our own demons’

MANILA, Philippines —Although still basking in popularity halfway through his six-year tenure, President Duterte vowed yesterday to end his term fighting as the country’s woes – especially the drug menace – continue.

“Believe me, I will end my term fighting. It pains me to say that we have not learned our lesson. Illegal drug persists, corruption continues,” the President said at the opening of his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday afternoon at the Batasan complex.

Duterte vowed there would be no letup in the pursuit of his goals, including reinstating the death penalty for heinous crimes.

He said he has come to realize that Filipinos are themselves the problem besetting the nation.

“Honestly, I have identified the enemy who dumped us into this quagmire we are in. I have met the enemy face to face. And sadly, the enemy is us. We are our own demons. We are our own tormentors,” Duterte said.

He said his overwhelming election victory in May 2016 and his high approval ratings in surveys have encouraged him to vigorously pursue what his administration has vowed to achieve in keeping its promise of change and reforms.

Duterte enjoys 85 percent trust and approval ratings, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey conducted from June 24 to 30.

“It inspires me with determination to pursue relentlessly what we have started at the start of my administration,” Duterte maintained.

The President reminded critics that only three percent of respondents of the recent survey disapproved of his work, and 11 percent were undecided.

He said the three percent could be the political opposition or his critics. Partly in jest, he said he hopes the three percent does not include members of Congress.

Duterte won the presidency in 2016 on a platform of ridding the country of illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.

“Few men imbued with the will and the courage to do what he believes is right and just and whatever be the opposition in terms of numbers and noise, makes a majority. For it is not the eagle in the fight, but the fight in the eagle that matters,” he said.

He stressed he is aware that there is still a long way to go in the fight against the drug menace, hence his appeal to Congress for the imposition of the death penalty for crimes related to illegal drugs.

Death penalty

“Drugs will not be crushed unless we continue to eliminate corruption that allows the social monster to survive,” the President added.

“I respectfully request Congress to reinstate the death penalty for heinous crimes related to drugs, as well as plunder,” he said.

Duterte reiterated his exasperation at the continuing drug and corruption despite his no-nonsense approach to dealing with the problems.

“It has been three years since I took my oath of office, and it pains me to say that we have not learned our lesson. The illegal drug problem persists. Corruption continues and emasculates the courage we need to sustain our moral recovery initiatives,” he said.

He emphasized his administration would not be able to suppress the drug menace without eliminating corruption. “However, the drugs will not be crushed unless we continue to eliminate corruption that allows this social monster to survive,” he pointed out.

Duterte cited the alleged funding of ghost dialysis treatments, which he said has deprived the government of millions of pesos that could have been used to treat illnesses and save lives.

He acknowledged the role of communities in keeping the streets safe from drug offenders and other lawbreakers but admitted there’s still much to be done.

“Our citizens have begun to do their part in the war against drugs through the barangay formation of anti-drug councils and also actually surrendering bricks of cocaine found floating in the sea into our islands. I call this responsibility,” he said.

Marawi siege and drugs

To emphasize how the drug issue has destroyed not just families but also communities, Duterte argued it was drug money that bankrolled the siege of Marawi City by Islamic State (IS)-linked terrorists in May 2017. The siege ended after five months of bloody military campaign to liberate the city.

“Years ago, we saw the terrible devastation caused by illegal drugs. On May 23, 2017, our law enforcers launched an operation to serve a warrant and to neutralize terrorists,” he said.

“During that Marawi siege, tons of shabu worth millions and millions of pesos. Drug money killed 175 and wounded (2,101) of my soldiers and policemen in that five-month battle,” he said.

The siege prompted Duterte to declare martial law and suspend the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao to allow government forces to go after extremist groups led by the IS-inspired Maute group. Congress granted the extension of martial law in the region until the end of the year.

“We find corruption everywhere in government with every malefactor watching his cohort’s back in blatant disregard of his oath when he assumed public office,” he added.

Duterte lamented that language has evolved “to soften the wickedness of the criminal act,” like the use of phrases like “for the boys” and “sponsoring an event.”

“No amount of euphemism can trivialize or normalize betrayal of public trust or any other criminal offense. It is an injury laced with insult. It is both a national embarrassment and a national shame,” he said.

“For every transaction, a commission; for every action, extortion; and a request that goes on and on – endlessly and shamelessly.”

Duterte said an immediate “self-purgation” is needed to address the problem that he claimed covers the entire gamut of the country’s system.

“Catharsis is what we, individually and collectively, need to do today – not tomorrow but today. Self-purgation followed by the resolve to do what is right and proper, is good for the nation’s health,” the President said.

“I’ve been with government for almost 35 years now. I am not singling out myself... Corruption exasperates. It frustrates. It is also exasperating that there are times when I think that perhaps it is blood that we need to cleanse and rinse away the dirt and the muck that stick to the flesh like leeches. Of course, it is only a thought.”

No sacred cows

Duterte reiterated that there are no sacred cows in his administration, saying he has fired or caused the resignation of more than 100 officials and appointees of government “without regard to relationship, friendship and alliance.”

He said he is taking responsibility for the shortcomings of his administration and vowed to pursue programs that would protect Filipinos and improve their quality of life.

“We are now entering a period of consequences. The consequences of what we did and did not do but should have done during the first half of my term. I assume full responsibility for that. As President, I cannot pass the blame to anybody, so it’s on me,” the President said.

“Though we cannot change the past, we will not squander the future. I will push harder in the pursuit of programs that we have started but always within the parameters of the law. I will not merely coast along or while away my time during the remaining years of my administration. It ain’t my style,” he added.

“I will not stop until I reach the finish line. Then and only then shall I call it a day.”

Duterte said his goal for the next three years is to provide a “comfortable life” for everybody and to sustain the gains of his administration.

“I dream of glowing days ahead for every Filipino. I dream of a Philippines better than the one I grew up with. This is my pledge and commitment for just three years, if I can,” the President said.

“If I cannot, I am sorry. But I shall continue to comply with my constitutional duty to serve and protect the Filipino until the last day of my term.”

Earlier yesterday, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Palace is optimistic that Congress would be able to push the re-imposition of the death penalty and the rest of the administration’s legislative agenda before 2022.

Neophyte Sen. Ronald dela Rosa has filed a measure calling for the re-imposition of the death penalty – possibly through firing squad – but only for high profile drug offenders.

Sens. Manny Pacquiao and Christopher Go have filed similar bills seeking to reinstate capital punishment in the Philippines.

Pacquiao’s bill is similar to Dela Rosa’s while Go has included plunder among the crimes he wants covered by the death penalty.

Dela Rosa, a former police chief, has filed Senate Bill 226, or “An Act to Impose the Death Penalty on Certain Crimes Punishable under Republic Act No. 9165 Otherwise Known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.”