MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has warned Chinese and other foreign investors to make sure they follow Philippine laws, behave well and pay the right taxes while operating their businesses here.
“Let us be very clear. You can come, you can ply your trade, you can commit your crimes. But if I catch up with you, it is dead or alive. Preferably dead… alive, I have to feed you… One mouth less would be good for my country,” he said in a speech during the launch of Golden Topper Corp. at the ASEAN Business Park in Parañaque last Wednesday night.
The tough-talking President added that he could not afford to feed prisoners because there is a rice crisis in the Philippines.
Duterte expressed concern over the reported kidnap-for-ransom and other crimes committed by some foreigners against their fellow citizens while in the country, apparently referring to the surge of reports on Chinese kidnapping their fellowmen due to unpaid casino debts.
He stressed he would not tolerate such criminal activities as he asked foreign businessmen to watch their own ranks or risk being deported, arrested or worse, killed during police pursuit operations.
“For those who are there, those foreigners, I will not particularize, but there are foreigners who come here to ply their trade, lending money and if the debtor cannot pay, they kidnap and sometimes ask for ransom. And even with the delivery of the money for ransom, they just go ahead and kill the victim,” he pointed out.
While his administration enjoys relatively good bilateral relations with Beijing, Duterte warned he would not hesitate to order the killing of those involved in crimes.
“You know, we’re good friends with everybody. But I will not hesitate even to tell your ambassador I killed your – your idiot citizen because he was f****** in my country... Especially kidnap for ransom and those who kidnap and kill even if the money has already been delivered. To me you are just also another carcass,” he said. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua is a frequent visitor in Malacañang.
Duterte added: “There is no other order to the police. It’s to capture you dead or alive. Preferably dead so that you cannot go back to your country to do a crime again and be back again in my country to do another.”
About 1,000 Chinese investors and associates attended the launch of the real property developer Golden Topper, which is backed by a Chinese business group and a Davao-based businessman.
Duterte vowed to provide a better working environment for the foreign traders, reiterating that corruption won’t be tolerated in all aspects of governance.
“I trust that as you launch these projects today, your company will become instrumental in this administration’s thrust to pursue lasting progress and inclusive prosperity by investing heavily on infrastructure development,” he said.
“Let us work together so we may realize the bright and promising future that awaits us. You come and do business and make your profit, as many as you can and as plenty as you can,” he added.
He also said he is grateful that such investments would pave the way for a better Philippine economy, which would translate to more jobs for Filipinos.
“In that way, you can help the Filipino worker find jobs. That is my only gain there. Not so much about taxes. It’s employment generation for my brother Filipinos. So, go ahead. Make money. Make your profit. Pay the right taxes, pay the laborers the right salaries and then I will assure you that your return of investment, your ROI, you can get it anytime you want. That is the long and short of my guarantee to you,” Duterte said.
“Just do it right, follow the rules and we will follow as… If there’s a breakage in the rule, let me know and I will correct it immediately, at once,” he added.