Duterte ‘not interested’ in appointing barangay officials

President Rodrigo Duterte speaks after the oath taking of the newly elected Board of Trustees of the Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PNPAAAI) at the Reception Hall of Malacañang Palace on Sep. 20, 2017. (Photo from an RTVM video)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he was “not interested” in appointing barangay officials even if Congress would approve the postponement of the barangay elections this year.

“Itong Congress, let me state now: I am not interested to appoint barangay captains. Disabuse your mind of Duterte holding so much power,” Duterte said in his speech in Malacañang during the oath taking of the newly elected Boatd of Trustees of the Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI).

He said the Philippines had become a “narco-state”  with the majority of barangay chiefs into the illegal drugs trade.

But the President said he would let Congress decide whether or not to postpone the baranagay elections.

“Kung sinabi ninyo na nagtanong kayo: Is it good to hold an election? I told you: ‘Bahala kayo’,” he said.

He had no more political ambitions, he added. So it would not benefit him to be appointing barangay officials.

“Kung sabihin na ibang senador na: ‘Don’t you think it is dangerous to put much power in the hands of… Anong makuha diyan? What? Boto? I cannot run anymore. That’s why I’m not campaigning for anybody or anything.,” he said.

In an interview with PTV4 on Tuesdat night, he said would not want to use the power to appoint barangay officials.

“Ngayon, ’pag sinabi ninyo i-appoint na lang, sinabi ko kanina sa House of Representatives, through the Speaker [Pantaleon Alvarez]… Huwag mong ibigay sa akin mag-appoint-appoint. Ayaw ko. Ibigay ninyo sa iba,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Senate approved on third and final reading the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to May 2018. Duterte had certified the measure as as urgent.

Earlier in the month, the House of Representatives approved a similar measure postponing the elections to May 2018. /atm