By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores

PHOTO: PCOO

"Alam mo, panahon ng kampanya 'yun."

This was what President Rodrigo Duterte had to say when he recalled his 2016 campaign promise to have a jetski ride to the West Philippine Sea to assert the country's territorial rights.

During his pre-recorded address on Monday, Duterte said the promise was a “pure campaign joke,” and called those who believed him "stupid".

“At saka ‘yung biro na ‘yun, ‘yung bravado ko, it was a pure campaign joke at kung naniniwala kayo sa kabila, I would say you are really stupid,” he said.

“Nagplano ako niyan. Bumili ako ng jet ski, ang kaya ko second hand lang. So nag order ako ng piyesa, hanggang ngayon hindi pa dumating since then. Walang dumating eh wala akong magawa.”

The chief executive furthered that he was hindered by fear since he does not know how to swim should he pursued the jet-ski ride.

“Sige, maghanap ka ng tao dito magpunta ng jet ski. Aabot pa ng ilang oras, I would conk out in the middle of the sea. Sabi nila, ang alon pala diyan, kasinglaki ng dagat,” Duterte said.

“Sabi ko, mahirap ito. Sabihin ko na lang balang araw na inabot ako ng takot. Wala akong magawa. Takot akong mamatay. Alam ba ninyo na hindi ako marunong maglangoy? Eh kung matumba yang yawa na ‘yan, magkakapa kapa na ako. By this time, I would’ve been the late Rodrigo Duterte,” he added.

Duterte earlier claimed that he never promised that he would retake the contested waters after being slammed for saying that the 2016 arbitral victory is “just a piece of paper that can be thrown away.”


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