Duterte to erring cops: You are useless to me

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 7) — President Rodrigo Duterte gave 102 policemen a tongue lashing in Malacañang Tuesday.

They are cops facing different administrative and criminal cases.

"Wala kayong silbi para sa akin. Salot kayo sa lipunan," the President told them.

[Translation: You are useless to me. You are a menace to society.]

He addressed them with curses and expletives, warning them that if they continued doing what they do, they would be killed.

"Kagaya ang ginagawa ninyo, madali man magpatay ng tao. Sundan mo lang sa likod, paputukan mo, tapos lakad ka lang, kalma," Duterte said.

[Translation: Like what you do, it's easy to kill a person. Just follow him, fire at his back, then walk away calmly.]

The President added, "Isang newspaper lang naman, isang sigawan. Ang ingay diyan sa TV, dalawang araw lang, tatlong araw, tapos na. Hanggang diyan lang naman. Media? Hanggang diyan lang. Publication, headline tapos wala na. History ka na."

[Translation: It's just one newspaper article, one instance of shouting. The noise on TV, that's just two, three days then it's over. It's only that. Media? They only go so far. Publication, a headline then nothing. You're history.]

The policemen's offenses range from kidnapping, rape, robbery extortion, involvement in the illegal drug trade, and serious illegal detention.

Some are facing administrative cases for reasons like going on absence without leave (AWOL), non-appearance in court duties, and neglect of duty.

The group also included three Taguig City policemen, who were recently relieved and detained for their involvement in kidnap-for-ransom operations. They were in the Palace in handcuffs.

"Bakit kayo napasok dito mga animal kayo? Para naman kayong – p**** i** ang mga kamukha aso na eh. Alam mo, totoo lang mabuti na lang maraming tao, may opisyal dito, hindi niyo – kung hindi, kanina ko pa kayo pinagpapalo," the President said.

[Translation: You animals, why are you here? You are like...bastards looking like dogs. You know, it's a good thing there are a lot of people here, there are officials present – or else, I would be hitting you.]

President Duterte said he doesn't understand why criminals insist on joining the police force.

He lamented how the Philippine National Police's (PNP) efforts to improve their image are destroyed because of erring cops.

He also addressed the relatives of the so-called erring policemen.

"Kayong mga pamilya nakikinig ngayon, nandito itong mga p****** i** mga asawa ninyo kapatid, anak. Huwag tayong magsisihan," he said.

[Translation: The families listening now, here are your bastard husbands, siblings, children. Let's not blame each other.]

"'Pag namatay itong mga p****** i** 'to, huwag kayo pumunta sa amin at magsisigaw kayo ng 'human rights, human rights, due process.' Wina-warningan ko na kayo eh," the President added.

[Translation: If these bastards die, don't come running to us shouting human rights, human rights, due process. I've been warning you.]

President Duterte left the policemen waiting at the Palace grounds while he presided a joint command conference with the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"Huwag kayong umalis diyan. Gutumin kayo [Stay there and starve]," Duterte said before he left them.