DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Contrary to his tough-talking image, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday vowed to be “prim and proper” once he becomes President.

“I need to control my mouth. I cannot be bastos (rude) because I am representing our country.”

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“If you are the President of the country, you need to be prim and proper, almost, maging holy na ako (I would become holy),” Duterte said during Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s late-night program.

Duterte has been known for iron-fisted leadership and profanity-laced speeches.

His common-law wife Cielito “Honeylet” Avanceña said Duterte is ready to be a statesman.

“”The character that he projected during the campaign was the character that is very appropriate for the campaign period kasi awayan ‘yan eh (because it’s full of arguments). Presidency, are you still going to don such a character when you should act like a statesman?” Avanceña told reporters on the sidelines of Duterte’s interview with Quiboloy.

She said the 90-day official campaign period was a battle between lions and tigers.

“Pero ano siya, he respects the position. Presidente na siya ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Lawyer siya eh. Alam niya iyong pinasok niya. Alam niya iyong panghahawakan niyang position,” she said.

(But he respects the position. He would become President of the Republic of the Philippines. He’s a lawyer. He know what he’s getting into. He knows the position he would be holding.)

Avanceña said the real work was not during the campaign period but once Duterte sits as President.

“We will continue to pray kasi umpisa pa lang ng hard work niya eh. Iyong campaign was not really the hard work. Iyong hard work niya is iyong pag-upo niya. The hard part is iyong pag-upo niya. Doon magtatrabaho siya,” she said.

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(We will continue to pray kasi because it’s just the start of his hard work. The campaign was not really the hard work. The hard work starts when he sits as the President. The hard part is when he sits [as the country’s leader]. He will work [hard] there.)

Before Duterte joined the presidential race, Avanceña said she tried to convince him not to run.

“Ayokong i-fire up ang desire niya (I don’t want to fire up his desire). I am always on the negative. Weeks before siya nag-ano (file), away kami nang away kasi I always tell him about the negative side (Weeks before he filed [his candidacy], we were fighting because I always tell him about the negative side.): ‘You know what, if you run for President, babatikusin ka (people will criticize you). You cannot sleep in your house, in your bed. Doon ka sa Malacañang. Then they have to wake you up early,'” she said. RAM/rga

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