By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Tuesday, June 12, that he might consider arming the newly elected village chiefs to help his administration in its war on drugs and crimes.

“I might consider arming you. If I think in my assessment, if you want to stop crime, I might allow you to carry firearms,” Mr. Duterte said in his speech during the oath-taking ceremony of the 3,100 newly elected barangay (village) captains in Region III, held at the ASEAN Convention Center in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.
Also in his speech, the President stressed that he believes in the capacity of the newly elected leaders. “Naniniwala talaga ako sa inyo. Kung anong ginagawa ko as city mayor or as president, sundan niyo na lang yun,” he said. (I believe in you. Whatever I have done as mayor or as president, just follow it.)
“All you have to do is to be true. Not a great honor, but you go for the sense of fulfillment na nabago mo yung barangay mo (that you have changed your village),” he added.
BORACAY FOR NATIVES
Also on Tuesday, the President maintained that the Boracay island “belongs to the natives.”
“Ibigay ko ang Boracay sa mga natives para by the time na pumasok ang mga negosyo, hawak na nila ang titulo. Puwede na nilang ipagbili. Ang consolation ko doon ay makahawak sila nang pera na malaki,” he said.
(I will give Boracay to the natives, so that when businesses come in, they have their land titles and they can sell their properties. I want them to get a bigger amount of money.)
He reminded the public as well to let the government do its job in cleaning up the island.
“Let me be very clear. Allow us to clean Boracay. Do not intervene there. We are in the process of just cleaning [it up]. After it is cleaned, ibabalik ko iyon sa mga may-ari na totoo (I will return it to the real owners). I will not give it to the big businesses. Boracay can only take so much waste,” he explained.

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