President Duterte To Meet All Provincial Governors In Malacañang For A Private Meeting

After he met all the country’s Mayors in Malacañang last January 11, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Saturday, January 14, that he will summon all Provincial Governors for a private meeting next week and to seek their cooperation in the campaign against illegal drugs.

President Duterte made the announcement at the 49th annual installation of the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry held in Davao City Saturday evening.

“I’d be calling the Governors sa next week. Sabihin ko talaga sa kanila, you tell your Barangay Captains, may supervisory powers kayo and iyong mga cities under you, iyong hindi pa charter cities, you tell the Mayors, reiterate to them,” President Duterte said.

“But I would like to tell you, hindi ko kaya lecturan lahat ng ano… Huwag ka gyud magkumpiyansa sa akin… papatayin talaga kita. Believe me. Hahanapan kita ng ambush, lasunin kita,” he added.

President Duterte vowed he would not back down from the campaign against illegal drugs despite criticisms and threats to overthrow him from office.

“Hindi ako aatras dito. If it causes my downfall, so be it,” he said. “I might be really a small time boy. No credentials impressive ones, no nothing. But what I have is just a basic sense of my love for my country and for my children.”

The tough-talking former Mayor of Davao City was unfazed by threats of impeachment or coup d’état, saying he was ready to administer the oath of his replacement.

“If I am ousted, I’d glad to go out. Coup d’état? Fine… Pero hindi ako aatras dito. Tatapusin ko ito to the very last day. If it takes me six years, then six years will be it,” President Duterte said.

“But let it not be said that I allowed this country placed in jeopardy, in peril because I did not know what I had to do. Wala tayong pa-drama-drama dito,” he added.

His planned meeting with the Governors comes a week after he met hundreds of Mayors in Malacañang and confronted those implicated in the narcotics trade.

President Duterte earlier compiled a list of thousands of government officials – including Governors, Mayors, Policemen and Barangay Captains – linked to illegal drugs. He has yet to make public the thick document although he has named a few of them.

In his speech before the Davao businessmen, the President admitted that he reprimanded the Mayors, especially those linked with illegal drugs, to mend their ways.

“Sabi ko talagang papatayin ko kayo. Baka akala ninyo nagbobolahan tayo dito. I called the Mayors in the Philippines, ni-lockdown ko,” President Duterte said.

He further said retired Police General and now Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot, one of the politicians included in his narco-list, was among the Mayors in the meeting.

President Duterte could not hide his disgust with public servants who have betrayed the people with their drug involvement.

“And Loot was there, itong gago na ito, General Loot. Alam mo ang masakit sa akin, lahat ng tao, tayo, I am thinking that you’ll protect the people. Here is a guy, military man ito,” he said.

The President earlier threatened to kill Mayors involved in illegal drugs if they do not resign or mend their ways.

He warned that Mayors with suspected drug links could lose some privileges, including supervisory powers over the police and removal of their security detail.

Source: Newswatch