Duterte: I’m not running, but if I were the president…

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his speech as a guest of honor at the VACC 17th Founding Anniversray held at Camp Aguinaldo, QC. RAFFY LERMA

For someone who has maintained that he would not seek the presidency, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has a lot to say on how to run the country.

During the anniversary of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Friday, Duterte gave the audience in Camp Aguinaldo a briefing on what he would do if he were elected president, among them restore the death penalty and increase the pay of teachers and uniformed personnel.

His first-person points of view were only suggestions, the 70-year-old Duterte said.

In an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the VACC anniversary, the sharp-tongued mayor said he was speaking of “hypothetical scenarios.”

“I won’t run. But it does not prevent me from making suggestions just because I am not running, that I should keep my mouth shut. If there’s anything that I can suggest that would make it easier for the people to live, let alone exist, then do it,” Duterte said.

On fighting crime, he said he would restore the death penalty especially for drug related offenses, with 20 years jail time for drug possession and death by hanging for trafficking.

He said he would raise the salaries of teachers, policemen and soldiers, pointing to low wages as the main factor that leads to corruption.

He said he would also shut down Congress.

Duterte peppered his hour-long speech with cuss words and invectives.

If he had his way, Duterte said he would spare individuals earning P25,000 and below from paying taxes.

On industrialization, he said he would slow down on infrastructure and prioritize people, citing the constant breakdown of Metro Manila’s train system and the long queues of commuters on Edsa during train service disruptions.

“I try to close my eyes, I think to myself, my city is not like this, not this bad,” he said.

“Those are suggestions that you might want to adopt, those who will run,” he said.

Duterte described the presidency as an unforgiving job, with the public judging the president after only one month in office.

“You are not appreciated any more. You get attacked every day,” he said.

The mayor said that if God had intended him to be president, it would have happened when he was in his 50s and not now that he is already 70.

“I don’t have the energy. In the mornings, I don’t want to get up anymore, I just want to sleep. Seventy years old is 70 years old,” he said, claiming that he works “30 hours a day” as mayor of Davao City.

He said he does not have plans to run for vice president either since Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said he is not fit for the position.

“Now I have an excuse, De Lima does not want it,” he said in jest.

He said he would not change his mind even if he tops the surveys.

Asked what qualities he thinks would make a good president, Duterte said he prefers an inexperienced candidate but someone who “would have the fire in the belly to do the job.”

“I only have a few candidates I can count on my fingers,” he said, refusing to name his bets.

He said his daughter, Sara, who was Davao City mayor from 2010 to 2013, may want another shot at his position.

“I will retire as mayor. I am already old, my body cannot take it anymore,” Duterte said.

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