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Photo by ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

“(Y)ou have to show to the world that you have a viable place of investment and business,” he said. “And the only way to show it is that you are productive and that you have the economy to absorb the productivity of the population.”

“You know, before a place can really be developed or a viable place to do business, you have to establish first law and order. You allow government to work in this area, establish economic centers, make it productive, make it safe, make the buildings, the structures fire-free. No attack, no killing,” he added.

Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images

Duterte had previously destroyed a fleet of 14 luxury vehicles in February, saying they were set to be consigned to non-existent owners and, once in the country, sold on. Some 800 vehicles in total have recently been seized.

The vehicles from both round-ups — or, what remains of them — will be used to construct a three-storey “Monument of Change” in the Cagayan port area, in an effort to show foreigners that the country is on the path towards proper governance.

Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images

The release also went on to mention the country’s war against communist rebels, with Duterte offering an apparent olive branch should they lay down their arms after negotiations.

“I don’t know what will happen to the talks,” the release says. “But if you guys want just maybe a place where you can work and earn money for your family for their education, you might do well just to talk to anybody even to the military and the police about how we can sort it out among ourselves. War would bring us nothing.”