President Rodrigo Duterte on the celebration of labor day in Davao city threatened to have the
government reclaim its pieces of property now under the control of businesses
that have been negligent in either paying taxes or in paying their employees the right salaries.
Duterte made the statement for the next three months in a speech before
workers at a Labor Day celebration in Davao City.
“So within the next three months, ako nang ignon ang mga
tag-iya ug diri nagkupot sa yuta sa gobyerno na wa mo mubayad sa inyong buwis
amounting to billions, unya gagunit mo sa yuta sa gobyerno na gipagkitaan ninyo
nga walay klaro na unsa nganong naabot sa inyo: Ug dili ninyo i-uli ang yuta sa
gobyerno, I will ask the Filipino people to occupy the lands that are in your
hands,” Duterte said.
[So within the next three months, I will tell those holding
government lands who failed to pay their taxes amounting to billions, those
earning from government lands but not paying you (workers) well: If you do not
give back the lands of the government, I will ask the Filipino people to occupy
the lands that are in your hands.]
“Naa sa Makati, Pasay, pangita na mo ug gwapong puwesto
diha. Yes, because I said adto tang tanan, pangita mo ug puwesto, pagbutang
namo sa inyong balay because it is yours. It cannot be theirs for all time,” he
added.
[Look for your own spots in Makati, Pasay. Yes, because I
said we will all go there.Llook for a spot. Put up your own house because it is
yours. It cannot be theirs for all time.]
“Start thinking and talking to the authorities,” Duterte said,
addressing the wealthy, who he called oligarchs.
Duterte stated how pieces of government owned properties
could be controlled by a few oligarchs in the country.
“May mga propedad sa gobyerno na gipanggunitan lang ug
pipila ka pamilya sa Pilipinas. Kaning mga dato, miski kinsang presidente,
ilang kumpare. And so they have been enjoying privileges na wa gyud gihatag sa
katawhan nga ila man unta,” Duterte said.
[There are government properties held be a few families in
the Philippines. The rich befriend whoever is the president. And so they have
been enjoying privileges which were not to the people when it should be
rightfully theirs.]
“Naay mga propedad diri sa Pilipinas nga hantud karon
ginagunitan sa mga oligarchs, maoy tag-iya ug negosyo, maoy tag-iya ug business
empire, maoy tig-guba sa atong yuta. Wala silay pakialam, and they have been
abusing the Filipino people,” he added.
[There are properties in the Philippines that until not held
by the oligarchs, who own businesses, who own business empires, who destroyed
our lands. They don't care, and they have been abusing the Filipino people.]
