By Love Mae Deseo and Kristine Gadiano, Davao Today interns
DAVAO CITY – Presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned anyone who shows discrimination in the city will be “arrested and humiliated.”
During the opening of the Pasko Fiesta sa Dabaw 2015 Friday night, Duterte said that anybody who wants to enter Davao City is welcome “whether he/she is a Muslim, Christian or a Lumad.”
“Dito sa Davao, I insist on mix. Tumindig ka diyan Moro ka, tumindig ka diyan Kristyano ka, Bisaya. Do not say something about the religion… Mindanao is for all people. We cannot prevent anybody – a Filipino from entering Davao City and I would never do that,” Duterte said.
(Here in Davao, I insist on mix whether you’re a Moro, Christian or Bisaya. Do not say something about the religion … Mindanao is for all people. We cannot prevent anybody – a Filipino from entering the city and I would never do that.)
Duterte said that talks about religion and race urged him to compel to approve the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (ADO) City Ordinance 0417-12 in order to prevent unfair bias on persons based on their gender, political belief, race and color, religion and national or ethnic origin.
Duterte claimed that Davao has been “progressive” inspiring those from poor communities in outlying provinces of Mindanao to migrate.
“Bakit naman tayo magpatayan dito, mga kapatid kong Moro people? Na alam naman natin na kasali kami sa inyong mga damdamin at kung ano ang gusto niyong marating sa inyong dream, damgo, pangarap ninyo. We are with you because kami didto, ako hindi tumitingin kung ikaw ay Maranao o Maguindanao. Hindi ako nagtitingin sayo kung ikaw ay taga-Jolo, ikaw ay taga-Basilan,” Duterte said.
(Why do we have to kill each other my Moro brothers? We all know that we are with you and we will support your dreams. We will not look at you as a citizen of Maranao, Maguindanao, Jolo or Basilan.)
“I have always insisted and even when I am gone, the only solution, the only thing that would promote the city to peaceful future would be, you treat each other like brother and sister,” he added.
Duterte also said that win or lose, “things will never be the same again.”
“I really do not know what’s in store for me, and kung saan ako dalhin ng kapalaran. If I lose, di man sakit kay di man gyud ko ga-ambisyon. And besides, I have never tasted defeat in the political part. God may give me one defeat, muingon ang ginoo nga ‘tilaw pud og kapildihon oy’ (God may give me one defeat and tell me ‘you should get a taste of defeat too’),” Duterte said.
“Kung manalo ako, sa Malacañang ako but patay ako dyan sa trabaho. Kung matalo ako, I will retire from public office, at 79 (If I win, off to Malacanang I go, but I know it is hardwork. If I lose, I will retire from public office at 79),” he said.(davaotoday.com)
