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Duterte Spells Out Programs
Cebu City — While he remains non-committal yet, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte already spelled out some of his priority programs if he will be elected President of the Philippines.
He reiterated the federal form of government as his centerpiece but he also said that he would ensure that salaries of teachers and law enforcers, both the police and military will be increase.
The Davao City Mayor also revealed that the amount for income tax exemption will be hike to twenty-five thousand pesos per month.
“Mao na ako ang una gyud nakong buhaton ug akoy presidente , twenty five thousand paubos wala nay income tax,” he said which got a thunderous applause from the fully-packed multi-purpose hall of the Oriental Port and Allied Services (OPASCOR) at the city’s North Reclamation Area.
While he promised an increase in the salaries of both the police and military to at least seventy thousand pesos per month including allowances, the Mayor however gave a stern warning against the scalawags who will still resort to mulcting and other illegal activities once their salaries will be increase.
“Ug akoy ma-Presidente ang basic ninyo singkwenta mil plus biente mil nga allowance (expletive) ug makit-an taka mag sige ka ug pangayo, pusilon taka diha-diha.”
The once named “The Punisher” by Time Magazine, Duterte also warned against illegal drug trafficking and their cohorts especially the policemen.
He said he did it in Davao and would not hesitate to do it on a national scale if he will be President since he found out in his sorties that the drug trafficking problem has worsened. He also warned policemen who will engaged in kidnap for ransom activities.
“Didto sa Davao musulod gani ka nga magdala ka ug drugas, wala ko magbinuang ninyo, patyun ta gyud ka, tibuok, nasuroy na nako, kahibawo mo unsay problema sa Pilipinas, droga….polis ngadto na naa sa droga, patyun ta gyud ka, polis mag kidnap patay gyud na, ayaw ko ninyo binuangi.”
Turning somber before he closed his more than an hour impromptu speech, the former government prosecutor turned politician however clarified that he has not yet finally decided but a source closed to the feisty Mayor revealed that Duterte will announce his candidacy in due time.
Duterte turned biblical to clarify his position basing it on Ecclesiastes 3, destiny, which is dependent on Divine Intervention.
“Ug unsa may akong swerte sa kinabuhi, kuan man gud na destiny, ug ihatag na sa imo, imo na, ug dili gani ihatag sa Ginoo, dili,” Duterte explained.
Earlier, PDP-Laban national chairman Ismael Sueno claimed that Duterte will officially announced his “presidential candidacy next month, June, but Duterte would not confirm nor deny the information.
Among those who earlier signified his support for Duterte is former Pres. Fidel Ramos, whose Lakas-NUCD party could be a viable political machinery other than PDP-Laban.
The highly placed source also said that the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former Pres. and incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada is an option.
Meanwhile, Opascor General Manager and Pres., Atty. Tomas Riveral felt elated about the presence of Duterte last Tuesday.
Riveral briefed Duterte on the success of Opascor as the “workers enterprises” where each Opascor employee is owner/stock holder of their company which prompted Duterte to instruct Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco, then his city administrator and now his de-facto liaison officer in the Visayas to study the possibility of replicating the set-up in Davao City.
Opascor is the exclusive cargo-handling service provider at the Cebu International Port, covering all the imported commodities that passes through it.
Also present to meet with the Davao City Mayor were local businessmen led by Rodrigo Go of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Cebu chapter.
Aside from Mayor Evasco, the party of Duterte also included former DOTC Sec. Pantaleon Alvarez and his chief of staff, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
