Duterte: I don’t have time to be nice

President Rodrigo Duterte speaks to the Filipino community in Singapore on Dec. 16. AP

He wishes he were “kinder” to the Filipino people, but tough-talking President Rodrigo Duterte says he has to do his job even if it means putting his life or the presidency at stake.

“I cannot run again. I’m not aspiring to be a popular president, far from it actually,” Duterte said in an interview with state-run PTV 4 on Thursday night.

“My job, my promise to you (is to eradicate) corruption, illegal drugs … I’ll do that,” he said.

“Wala akong pakialam, tapos na ako. Wala na akong panahong magbait-baitan (I don’t care, I’m done. I don’t have time to pretend to be nice),” he added.

The President made the remark when asked about what he felt that majority of the people were supportive of his administration’s war on drugs.

Duterte pointed out that during his campaign, he made a “solemn” promise to eradicate corruption, crime and illegal drugs.

Part of his promise, he also said, was to allow the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“I wish I could be kinder … to you fellowmen but there’s a task to be done and I will do it. I will do it even if I have to put at stake my life and the presidency itself,” the President said before ending an hourlong interview with the network, the last in his series of television interviews that day.

Duterte reiterated his readiness to step down from office if the people thought he could no longer solve the problems of the country./rga