Davao City mayor beats up sheriff in demolition row
MARK D. MERUEÑAS, GMA News
07/01/2011 | 01:32 PM Video footage from GMA News correspondent Tek Ocampo showed Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio approaching a group of local officials overseeing a demolition operation that had turned violent, as residents tried to resist the demolition team.
Duterte was seen summoning a man in a checkered polo, but as the man drew close, she threw at least four punches in his face and head. The punching only stopped after Duterte's bodyguards stepped in and tried to pacify the irate mayor.
The man was later identified as city sheriff Abe Andres. Duterte ordered that the sheriff be brought to the hospital for medical treatment, but the latter refused the offer.
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In an interview on GMA News TV Live's On Call, Duterte said she did not regret her actions. According to her, she lost her temper because the sheriff did not follow her orders.
Duterte said she had given specific instructions to delay the demolition operations for at least two hours, while she was attending to relief operations for those hit by floods. She said she had wanted to be personally present at the demolition to prevent violence.
"Kasi hindi sila [villagers] naniniwala doon. Even sa pulis hindi naniniwala iyong mga tao. Naghahanap sila ng mayor at kami ang may usapan kahapon," Duterte said.
"Pero at 9 a.m. pinapasok nila ang demolition team nila na hindi naman mukhang demolition team at mukhang laging nagra-riot lang sa lugar na ito," she added.
Duterte said the riot that had erupted earlier in the day stopped when she arrived. She said she wanted to reprimand the sheriff for the violence that happened while she was not around.
"So pinatawag ko siya, sabi ko ano ba hinihingi... Medyo mainit na talaga ulo ko... Hinihingi ko lang dalawang oras. Ano ba naman ang dalawang oras sa kanila?" she said.
Several people, including a policeman, were injured in the riot.
Asked what she thought about the possible consequences of her actions, Duterte said: "I do not care about public opinion na hindi naman kasali dito at hindi makakatulong sa problema dito."
Contusions
In an interview with ANC, Andres said he suffered contusions below his left eye and ended up seeking medical attention after the incident.
Andres maintained that he was merely serving an order from the court to demolish the houses in the area. He added that he would prepare a formal report and consult his superiors about the possibility of taking legal action against the mayor.
He said a lawyer from the Duterte camp has conveyed the mayor's apologies for what happened. "[Pero] iyong 'sorry,' hindi naman ho natin sabihing okay na lang din," he said. — LBG/YA, GMA News
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