Duterte: No regrets being president

DAVAO CITY – Facing alleged threats of ouster and destabilization plots, President Duterte said he has no regrets being the country’s Chief Executive.

In fact, according to Duterte, his remaining three years in office is too short to fulfill his campaign promise to eradicate illegal drugs and corruption.

“Three years left is too short. I like to start again where I left off to finish this job,” Duterte said during his televised one-on-one with his chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo on Tuesday.

“And of course, the scourge of drugs – I promised the people that I would finish this. Believe me, I will really put an end to this,” he said. Duterte was a reluctant

candidate in the May 2016 presidential elections. Even without campaign machinery, he won the presidency on his campaign promises of strong leadership to bring peace and order and security for Filipinos.

Duterte stressed he could not renege on his campaign promises.

As much as possible, Duterte said he would do his best for Filipinos for the next three years before stepping down in 2022.

If there were certain things that the presidency deprived him, Duterte said it is the time that he would have wanted to do things freely on his own.

Duterte said the Presidential Security Group (PSG) has been strict in the security arrangements wherever he is.

He said he could not even do the things he usually did before, like strolling in malls without throngs of people milling around him.

If there is one thing the President also delights in while in office, it’s the chance to meet the thousands of Filipino migrant workers on his trips abroad.

Duterte said after more than two years in office he had some misgivings.

He cited in particular the refusal of lawmakers to grant him emergency powers to solve the traffic problem in Metro Manila and other urban areas. –