After assault, Davao Mayor Duterte-Carpio to go on leave

A day after TV cameras caught her beating a court sheriff, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Saturday said she will take a leave of absence while the Department of Interior and Local Government investigates the incident. Duterte-Carpio, who will go on leave from July 4 to 11, said she will be replaced by her father, Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who was a long-time mayor of the city. While on leave as Davao City’s chief executive, Duterte-Carpio said she will continue to undertake relief and rehabilitation operations in the flash flood-hit city. “I will go out of town upon the request of my husband," Duterte-Carpio also said, noting that her husband had asked her to “keep mum about the mauling incident." The DILG’s probe on Duterte-Carpio’s assault on court sheriff Abe Andres is expected to begin on July 4. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the DILG’s probe on the assault will go on despite the victim’s reported lack of interest in pressing charges against Duterte-Carpio. Lost temper On Friday, the mayor was shown hitting Andres with her fists after learning of a violent confrontation during a demolition operation in the city. She said she had asked for a two-hour extension for the enforcement of a demolition order because she was attending to flood relief work. But by the time she arrived at the scene of the demolition, a riot was taking place. Duterte said she lost her temper because she already gave clear instructions about the extension. For his part, Andres said he was only doing his job of implementing the order for demolition, and he would not press charges against the mayor. Hours after the assault on Andres was seen nationwide on television, Robredo said Duterte could be removed from her post if proven that she abused her power. — JE/HS, GMA News