DILG, CHR to probe Davao punching incident

Exercising supervisory authority over local officials, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo initiated Friday an investigation on the punching incident between Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and court sheriff Abe Andres. Robredo said there is need to investigate but he also commiserated with the Davao mayor. The DILG chief opined that it was not too much to ask of the sheriff to delay enforcing the court-ordered demolition while the mayor attended to relief operations for the flood victims in other parts of the city. “But if the sheriff is really aggrieved, he should file a case and see this through," Robredo said. However, the DILG chief also said public servants like Duterte-Carpio are expected to abide by higher norms of conduct and may have violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act 6713). Sheriff Andres said after the incident he does not intend to file a case against Mayor Duterte-Carpio. The DILG probe will begin Monday. Robredo said, if found liable, Mayor Duterte-Carpio may be reprimanded at the very least or at worst, lose her post. The Vice Mayor of Davao City is the mayor’s father, Rodrigo Duterte, who also served as city mayor. Mayor Duterte-Carpio later admitted that she lost her temper. She said she asked for a two-hour extension because she was attending to flood relief work, but by the time she arrived at the scene of the demolition, there was a riot in progress. GMA News' Tek Ocampo was at the scene of the demolition Friday morning and filed the exclusive report on the punching incident via the noontime newscast "Balitanghali."
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has weighed in on the punching incident and the demolition operation. Local officials are duty-bound to respect human rights especially in demolition situations, according to CHR Commissioner Coco Quisumbing. In a report by GMA News’ Ruth Cabal on “State of the Nation," University of the Philippines (UP) law professor Atty. Ricardo Sunga said the Davao City mayor may be cited “in contempt of court" because the sheriff is an officer of the court. Sunga also said the sheriff's human rights may have also been violated.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Cabal also reported that the CHR in Region 11 said it will investigate the incident. Cabal learned that the association of court sheriffs has condemned the action the Davao City mayor committed against one of their own. — With Earl Rosero/VS, GMA News