Duterte: My son Paolo is a gangster

MANILA, Philippines — He cannot trust his two sons to take care of him when he is sick and old, President Duterte said the other day, even as he defended  anew his administration’s anti-drug campaign that led to the killing of thousands of pushers and addicts during police operations nationwide.

Duterte said it is important to eradicate the illegal drug problem right now so that the next generation could survive and help their aging parents.

He said he could only trust his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, but not his son Paolo, whom he described as a “gangster” following his resignation as a city vice mayor at the height of the controversy that surrounded the smuggling of shabu out of the Bureau of Customs last year.

Duterte also castigated his other son, Sebastian, for being a womanizer. 

The three are his grown-up children with his estranged wife Elizabeth Zimmerman.

“‘Di ako, sinong maasahan ko (For me, who can I rely on)? Si Inday, ‘yung anak ko na (my daughter the) mayor, buti’t na lang nakalusot,” Duterte said in a speech before local officials in Pampanga the other day.

“O ‘yung anak kong si (my son) Pulong, isa rin ‘yung (he is a) gangster, ‘yun mabubuhay ‘yun (he could survive). O ‘yung si Baste? Pero si Baste naman, babae ang inaatupag (his concern is women), si Adarna,” Duterte said, referring to Sebastian’s former girlfriend, actress Ellen Adarna, who is now involved with actor John Lloyd Cruz.

Duterte used his children as example to explain his fervor to save the young generation from the ill effects of illegal drugs. 

He said there will be no youth to take care of their parents if they will be ruined by drug abuse. 

“Who will now buy my medicine? Who will pay for my oxygen? Sinong magbayad ng kabaong ko (who will pay for my coffin)? And who will pay for my burial? Son of… ‘Yan ang problema diyan (that’s the problem there),” he said, before complaining of his low salary as a government worker.

He said his salary would not even be enough for hospitalization and medicine if he gets sick. 

Duterte will turn 73 on March 28.

“Kaya (so) by hook or by crook, long range or short range, I have three years, uubusin ko talaga kayo. Wala akong pakialam diyan p****** i**** (I will get rid of all of you, I don’t care about the) human rights na ‘yan, l****. Hindi ‘yan makatulong sa bayan ko (they can’t help my country),” Duterte said. – With Jess Diaz