Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — Salvador Panelo, lawyer, erstwhile presidential spokesperson, now chief presidential legal counsel, may hold one of the most difficult posts in government, tasked as he is to render legal advice to the president. He has been a point of essential clarification, explaining the context by which the president whistled at a female reporter, or defending him when the UN Secretary-General apparently misinterpreted the president’s stand on extrajudicial killings.

Esquire Philippines recently sat down with Panelo, the man who explains the president, for its September 2016 issue. He talks about how he convinced Duterte to run for president, how they have a shared history, and clarifies how the country is far from being a tyrannical society. On a lighter note, he also talks about his fashion sense, an alternative career, and his own family. Here are five notable quotes from the interview, as selected by CNN Philippines Life.

appointment he was surprised with, he tells Esquire. Photo by RENNELL SALUMBRE/courtesy of ESQUIRE PHILIPPINES

Panelo has an independent fashion sense, and he collects bonsai.

“My wife tells me, ‘You need another house for the clothes that you haven’t worn.’ Kahit nung bata pa ako mahilig na ako. And I don’t follow trends. I set the trend for myself. Kung may gagaya, ayoko na. Ako nagdala nung tattered jeans. Kaya lang nung ginaya ni Boy Abunda, ayoko na (laughs)….

Did you see my barong at the inauguration? I designed that. Ang dami ngang nag-comment dito. Sabi ni Presidente, ‘You have the most elegant barong.’ I also grow bonsai. I have 300 pieces at home. That’s where I de-stress myself.”

He and President Duterte have a “melting of the minds,” or “mind melt.”

“Even prior to [Duterte] being the president, he already told me, ‘Pare, ikaw ang gusto kong Secretary of Justice, or kahit Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.’ Pero nung manalo na siya, nagulat ako, in-announce niya na Spokesman. I will quote him: ‘You express my thoughts in the way I want it.’

I can read his mind kasi. We’ve been together for 30 years. Magbarkada kami. And we both belong to the left. We’re both lawyers. We’re both very strict. Ayaw namin ng corruption. We are outraged by any act of brutality or violation of any right of the citizen. Pareho kaming street-smart.

May mind-melt nga daw kami sabi niya sa magazine e … Melting of the minds.”

He believes that lawyers do not lie — only clients do.

“Lawyers don’t accept cases on the basis of what they perceive the case to be. Sa trabaho ng abogado, kailangan pakinggan mo muna. Lawyers do not lie — only clients do. Personal policy ko, ‘pag nagsinungaling ka sa ‘kin tapos nagulat na lang ako, e iiwanan kita. Kasi nagkaroon tayo ng breach ng ating fiduciary relationship. So I will withdraw immediately. I cannot lie for you. Kailangan sabihin mo na sa akin, para I know how to defend you. Saka ang trabaho talaga namin is to protect your rights.”

As chief presidential legal counsel, Panelo says, in his Esquire interview, that his office is proactive. "If we feel there is a need for the issuance of an Executive Order, we will not wait for the President to tell us. Like, 'yung sa handicapped, they were complaining na wala silang benefits, kulang ang protection ng mga disabled. So binigyan ko ng assignment 'yung isang abogado." Photo by RENNELL SALUMBRE/courtesy of ESQUIRE PHILIPPINES

He withdrew from the Ampatuan case because of the workload, and other pressing matters.

“I was getting sick na. My god, isang truck yata ‘yung babasahin kong dokumento. After a while, sabi ko, ayoko na nito. Saka wala naman akong natatanggap na pera dun. When Fortun took over, I think 100 million [pesos] na ang nagastos ng mga Ampatuan. Nagtuturo pa ‘ko. Ang dami kong ginagawa e. And then kinukulit ko pa si Duterte. Takbo na, pare, takbo na (laughs). So nag-unload na ‘ko ng mga kaso.

He knows better than to rely on Duterte’s one-liners.

“The President is a one-liner man. He doesn’t seem to explain. But he actually does, if you listen to him thoroughly and intently. In the course of his, ‘yung sinasabi nilang … ramblings, napapaliwanag niya, e. Pero pag narinig mo lang ‘yung one-liner niya, sulat ka na kaagad, ah magkakakamali ka. ‘Yan ang naging role ko — ako ang nagpapaliwanag. I speak for the President pag medyo mabibigat na ang usapan…

Like 'yung BBC, tumawag sa akin, nung spokesman pa niya ‘ko. ‘Attorney Panelo, your President said he will kill 3,789 criminals.’ When, actually, what was said and meant was that he would pursue to the ends of the earth and put behind bars the criminals, and if they resist, they will be killed. And that’s allowed under the law. Natawa si Rody. ‘Actually, ‘yan ang gusto kong sabihin, pare.’”