Duterte to Filipinos: ‘Don’t vote for me if…’

Video from YouTube/DZRJ 810AM

“Don’t vote for me if…”

That was how Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte addressed Filipinos in a more than one-minute video published on Friday, saying the public should not vote for him in the 2016 national elections if they are already content with the problems besetting the country.

READ: Duterte vows to fight corruption, criminality if elected president

“Kung happy na kayo sa continuous corruption, sa pag-usbong ng krimen, huwag ninyo akong iboto. Kung happy na kayo sa mataas na presyo ng pagkain at kuryente, e huwag ninyo akong iboto,” Duterte said in the video published by DZRJ 810AM.

(If you are happy with the continuous corruption, sprouting of crimes, don’t vote for me. If you are happy with the high prices of food and electricity, don’t vote for me.)

He added that Filipinos should not vote for him if they are already “happy” with the traffic problems, lack of infrastructure and massive unemployment in the country.

“Kung happy na kayo sa kulubot na traffic, at lack of infrastructure, huwag ninyo akong iboto. Kung happy na kayo na wala tayong industiya at trabaho dito sa ating bayan, huwag ninyo akong iboto,” he said.

(If you are happy with the traffic situation and lack of infrastructure, don’t vote for me. If you are happy that we lack the industry and employment opportunities, don’t vote for me.)

However, he said that if Filipinos want to see how he transformed Davao City into a progressive city, he urged the public to help him realize this vision for the whole country.

“Ngayon, kung gusto ninyong mangyari sa buong Pilipinas ang nagawa ko para sa mahal kong Davao, nakakalakad ang tao na walang takot, nakakatrabaho ng walng takot, siguro naman sa tulong ninyong lahat magagawa ko rin sa buong Pilipinas,” he said.

(Now, if you want to see the change I did for my beloved Davao in the entire Philippines, people can walk on the streets without fear, working without fear, perhaps with all of your help I can do it for the entire Philippines.)

On Friday, Duterte made his presidential bid official after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president as the standard-bearer of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) at the Commission on Elections’ law department.

READ: Duterte makes presidential bid official, files COC

The mayor filed his COC through his lawyer Salvador Medialdea.

The filing came after he withdrew his COC for mayor, making his daughter Sara Duterte his substitute for the mayoral seat.

In the said video, Duterte said he was ready to “improve” and “serve” the Philippines, but urged Filipinos to sacrifice and unite for the country.

“Kung gusto ninyong ayusin ang bayan natin, handa akong maglingkod, pero dapat lahat tayo magsakripisyo at magkaisa para maayos ang ating bayan,” he said.

(If you want to improve our nation, I am ready to serve but all of us must sacrifice and unite to improve our nation.)

“It is my moral obligation to do what I can for the future of our country,” Duterte further said. RAM