MANILA, Philippines – More than 10 contraband Hummers were saved from bulldozers by President Rodrigo Duterte himself who said he wants to give them to the police and military instead.

“Mayroon akong hindi sinira, yung vans at yung Hummer (There were some I didn’t destroy, the vans and Hummer)… I said do not destroy it because I’ll give it to the military and police for their use,” he said on Tuesday, July 31.

His speech at the National Security Council anniversary was made public on Wednesday.

Duterte said he saved “more than 10” Hummers from the condemnation of smuggled luxury vehicles and motorcycles on Monday in Port Irene in Cagayan.

During the ceremony, which he attended, P278 million worth of contraband cars, including a Lamborghini and a Porsche, were destroyed in front of a crowd of hundreds.

It was meant to prove the Duterte administration’s firm stance against corruption and smuggling.

Duterte said he was glad to give police personnel a type of car that most people would “salivate” over.

“Para naka-Hummer na kayo. Kami ilang taon na kami naglalaway-laway (So that you can be riding Hummers. For years, we’ve just been salivating),” he said.

Hummers are sports utility vehicles that could cost anywhere between P1.2 million to P7 million, depending on the model.

Some smuggled vans, meanwhile, would be “divided” among local governments, he said, without specifying any local government unit. – Rappler.com