Country’s interest is top priority – Duterte

Presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said the “interest of the country” is on top of his priority.

“I will not dwell so much about the niceties of life, if it is in the interest of the nation, I will do it,” Duterte said during his closing speech at the third and final presidential debate in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

The tough-talking mayor reiterated his promise to stop criminality, drugs and corruption in government within the first six months if elected as president.

“Sabi nila may extrajudicial killings. It’s not that. It’s really the interest of the country. Gagawin ko po ‘yan. I will stop corruption, walang droga, kung maaari lang maubos ko pati tao, okay lang sa akin, sabay na sa droga. Criminality rin. I will be harsh,” he said.

He warned criminals and the corrupt to “just stop” and “just obey the law.”

“Pero ako kasi, sabi ko ordinaryong tao lang ako, ayokong mapahiya, kaya kapag sinabi kong huminto kayo, huminto kayo… I have one word for all government [officials] dito sa Pilipinas. Stop. S-T-O-P. Just stop. Just obey the law,” the mayor said.

He described himself as an “very impatient man.”

Citing the bullet planting incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), he said he would let people involved in the scam eat bullets if it happens under his administration.

“Yung tanim-tanim ng bala, hintuan talaga n’yo ‘yan, unless you are ready to swallow the bullet, and I will make you do it,” he said.

While the mayor said his four rivals were ‘all worthy” for the country’s highest elective post, he said what sets him apart was his willingness to risk his life, dignity and even the presidency to fight for Filipinos.

“Kapag sinabi kong gagawin ko diyan, ginagawa ko talaga. Even at the expense of sometimes—it could be at the expense of honor, or prestige, or the presidency. Wala akong pakialam, basta ako may trabaho at gagawin ko,” he said.