THREAD: President Rodrigo Duterte speaks at the oath of office to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts officials in a ceremony in Malacañang. bit.ly/2HVbLUG 
Duterte: Culture and arts reflect and define Filipinos and national identity and is vital to nation-building.
Duterte to Ani ng Dangal awardees: The whole nation listening now is grateful for your achievements. You’ve made us very proud to be Filipino. You did not only put PH in the world map, but also contributed to greater understanding, respect and appreciation of cultural diversity
Duterte urges artists to continue promoting Filipino culture and heritage.
Duterte: I'd like to discuss the reason why I withdrew from the Visiting Forces Agreement.
Everyday we were being portrayed as a republic incapable of administering simple justice.
Everyday we were being portrayed as a republic incapable of administering simple justice.
Duterte: Every day, in the newspapers in the halls of the Senate of the United States, we were being portrayed as a republic incapable of administering simple justice.
Duterte: We were pictured to have persecuted, not prosecuted, persecuted and committed a grave injustice to a certain person, I’m referring to De Lima.
Duterte: Itong extrajudicial killing, they do not have the accurate numbers. Let me unburden you part, ako 'yun , ako 'yun I take full legal responsibility.
Duterte again appears to take responsibility for extrajudicial killings: Ako yun, I take full legal responsibility. If there’s somebody who will be executed or put in prison, ako yun. Ang mga pulis pati military, hindi yan kasali.
Duterte: Ako I said to Davao I will build a city that will be comfortable to everyone. I'd like you to visit Davao, you can walk around 24 hours a day I guarantee you nobody will molest you.
Duterte: If you think that we are a bunch of criminals, and if you think that the President is a killer, you are right.
Duterte: I can be everything, but not with the malice in the mind. Tapos na. There is no malice. It was just a statement of my being the mayor.
Duterte: Do you need a powerful country — the most powerful country at that — do we need America to survive as a nation? Do we need America now to fight a rebellion in our country? Do we need their arms? (1/2)
Duterte: Eh yung hawak-hawak ng rebelde, ninakaw lang nila yan sa mga sundalong pinatay nila. (2/2)
Duterte: During the early days when I had a tiff with (former US President Barack) Obama, I was asked a hypothetical question ,if you are invited to the US will you go? No. Hindi ako pupunta doon as a matter of principle.
Duterte says no one knew of his decision to end the Visiting Forces Agreement until he pushed forward with it.
Duterte: Kung hindi kaya, we have no business being a republic. You might as well choose. We can be a territory of the Americans or we can be a province of China.
Duterte: Do you need a powerful country, the most powerful country United States? Do we need America to survive as a nation? Do we need america now to fight a rebellion in our country? Do we need their arms?
Duterte: Itong droga papatayin ko talaga ito.
Duterte: You might call me brutal, alam mo naman kung hindi ako naging abogado, hindi ako naging Presidente, baka gun-for-hire din ako.
Duterte: Kung hindi ako Presidente o abogado, gun-for-hire ako, laban sa droga.
