(Eagle News) – While Vice-President Leni Robredo has claimed that there might be plans from Malacanang to oust her, President Duterte hinted that it is the other way around: It is the opposition who could not wait to get him out of office.
In his speech Monday night (December 5) at the Malacanang grounds, Duterte advised the opposition to just wait. He however did not make any mention of Robredo’s earlier resignation as chairwoman of the Housing and Urban Develoment Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
“We’re nearing 2017. Sa mga opposition, maghintay na lang kayo. Total naghintay rin sila. Maghintayan na lang tayo. (To the opposition, you just wait. Let us all wait.) You’ve had your days,” the President said.
Before this, he appealed for unity and for peace for the country, which is why he said he is talking to all rebel groups.
“Ako sabi ko, I really don’t want to fight. More so I don’t want to kill. It’s not a good thing to be killing people. We cannot build a country over the bones of our fellow countrymen,” he said.
“What is really very disheartening is Filipinos killing each other. It’s not something that I want for my country,” Duterte said. “Sana makinig lang sila. (I hope they listen).”
-“I give you the streets” No problem with rallies, says Duterte –
While he may have policies and decisions that had been criticized and opposed, he said the opposition and other critical parties can take to the streets, and he won’t have any problem with that.
“If you want to demonstrate. I give you the streets– 365 days in a year, 30 days in a month, seven days including Sundays, you can demonstrate. Just do not do violent things,” he said.
“Wala akong problema. Kung sabihin nila gusto niyo akong patayin, tanggalin, you know I believe in destiny,” Duterte said.
The President said he leaves everything to God. He said he cannot do anything if God wants him to stay in office for a few months or a couple of years. He didn’t even have the money and the machinery, but he became the President of the land, he said.
– ‘I believe in destiny’- Duterte-
“I really do not know bakit ako dumating rito. Really. Ngayon kung dalawang buwan lang ako, o isang taon, that is my part of destiny. Yun ang binigay sa akin ng Diyos. Magpresidente ka hanggang isang taon ka lang, mawala ka. Then that’s good,” he said.
Duterte, who is just in his sixth month in office, said he would just want to remind everybody, that he would make sure that the country would be freed of corruption and would go back to the path of peace.
“I will protect the citizens of the country who are law abiding,” he said as he vowed to destroy the apparatus of illegal drugs which he said is destroying the country, and the nation’s youth.
“And I ask everybody in government that together we should stop corruption,” he said.
The President noted that until now, the country has not really progressed.
Addressing the opposition, he said he doesn’t really care if they pray that he’d be out of Malacanang soon.
“I don’t really care na magdasal kayo, na mawala ako,” he said.
Duterte said that in the end, it is God’s will which will prevail.
