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Duterte admitted corruption in 2017? Palace says it was 'a joke'

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech at the Western Command Gymnasium in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Nov. 4, 2021. Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/11/05/20211104-duterte-rodrigo-palawan-mnib-66.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech at the Western Command Gymnasium in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Nov. 4, 2021.<em> Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte was cracking &quot;a joke&quot; when he supposedly admitted to corruption some 4 years ago, Malacañang said on Friday, as the leader&#x27;s feud with the Senate festered.</p><p>Duterte said this week he would not be President if he were corrupt allegedly like some senators leading the investigation against government&#x27;s pandemic transactions. </p><p>Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the investigating panel, in response brought up Duterte&#x27;s 2017 remark, in which he told a Philippine-Chinese organization, &quot;I hate corruption. Hindi ako nagmalinis, marami rin akong ninakaw pero naubos na. Corruption is really out during my term.&quot;</p><p>(I am not clean, I have also stolen a lot of money but it has already been spent.)</p><p>&quot;I think that’s a joke,&quot; Duterte&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque <a href="https://pcoo.gov.ph/june-28-2017-speech-of-president-rodrigo-roa-duterte-during-the-140th-founding-anniversary-of-philippine-chinese-charitable-association-inc-pccai/">said </a>of the statement. &quot;Ang paninindigan po ng Presidente, hindi po siya tatagal sa pulitika kung siya ay korap.&quot; </p><p>(The stand of the President is he would not last in politics if he were corrupt.)<br/> <br/>&quot;Hayaan na lang natin kung ngumawa siya (Gordon) nang ngumawa dahil alam naman po natin kung ano ang riyalidad: Wala pong disallowance sa COA ang Presidente sa mahigit na 40 anyos niyang karera sa pulitika,&quot; he said in a press briefing. </p><p>(Let us just allow him to babble because we know the reality: the President did not face any disallowance from the Commission on Audit during his more than 40-year political career.) </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1820652" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Video courtesy of PTV </div><div> </div><p>Gordon during Thursday&#x27;s hearing said Duterte was to blame for delays in the Senate investigation after he banned the attendance of his Cabinet secretaries and other officials. </p><p>The senator also said Duterte&#x27;s stance towards Beijing&#x27;s aggression in the West Philippine Sea supposedly softened when his former economic adviser Michael Yang appeared in government. </p><p>A Chinese businessman, Yang supposedly has ties to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. that bagged billions of pesos in government contracts last year for pandemic supplies. </p><p>&quot;Nakakatawa naman iyon na ang relasyon niya kay Michael Yang can change foreign policy. Hindi po. Ang foreign policy po ay dinidikta ng ating pang-nasyonal na interes,&quot; said Roque. </p><p>(It is laughable to say that the relationship of Michael Yang to the President can change foreign policy. No. Foreign policy is dictated by national interest.)</p><p>&quot;Ang ating current foreign policy po, hindi po natin sinu-surrender ang ating teritoryo pero isusulong po natin ang pupuwedeng maisulong sa larangan po ng investments at ng kalakalan.&quot; </p><p>(Our current foreign policy is we are not surrendering our territory, but we are putting forward those that can be pushed in the field of investments and trade.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/04/21/michael-yang-denies-being-a-communist-agent-for-china">&#x27;I love the Philippines&#x27;: Michael Yang denies being a communist agent for China</a></li></ul><p>Roque also argued that Cabinet members gave &quot;full cooperation&quot; to 10 hearings.</p><p>&quot;Mayroon na silang mga collateral issues na kung totoo, aaktuhan naman ng gobyerno kagaya nang hindi pagbabayad ng buwis,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Pero sa ngayon po, wala na po talagang mga issues na may kinalaman sa overprice o sa paglabag ng ating bidding rules. In aid of elections lang po iyan.&quot; </p><p>(They now have collateral issues like non-payment of taxes, which if true, would be addressed by government. But for now, there is no longer any issue linked to overpricing or the violation of our bidding rules. That is just in aid of elections.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/29/21/unbelievable-henares-on-pharmally-execs-low-taxes">&#x27;Unbelievable&#x27;: Henares on Pharmally exec&#x27;s low taxes </a></li></ul><div> </div>

President Duterte made 'a joke' when he supposedly admitted to corruption some 4 years ago, Malacañang said. 

Duterte admitted corruption in 2017? Palace says it was 'a joke'

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Duterte admitted corruption in 2017? Palace says it was 'a joke'

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 05, 2021 04:48 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

corruption

Pharmally

Senate

Michael Yang

China

foreign policy

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