The imbroglio Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte suddenly finds herself in after she punched court sheriff Abe Andres on the face in front of TV cameras is becoming complicated. It is complicated by her family’s uncoordinated public relations approach as evident in the belligerent stance her father, now acting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, exhibited when he faced the Media yesterday.
In contrast with the apologetic position his daughter Sara is now starting to take, the elder Duterte expressed an abject lack of remorse and made what looked like veiled threats at those who he sees as critical to his daughter, his family, and ultimately the approach to law and order he takes that Davao residents have all but cozied up to. Facing the Media yesterday, Duterte gave “columnists” critical of him the Bird and said that he would not only have punched Andres but would also have kicked him as well if he were in his daughter’s shoes at the time. Implying that he can count on support from his constituents to condone such actions, Rodrigo Duterte boldly stated…
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“You ask the people here in Davao, you ask the media, buti nga kung ganun lang abutin mo sa kin, p#t@ng!@ (expletive),” he said. “Kung ako ang mayor, may tama yan talaga.”
Interpretted thus: “Davao people and the media here know me enough to expect what I would do: They’ll know that Andres would’ve been lucky to get just punches if it were up to me. If it were me, he’d really get a real beating.”
In a statement she released when she faced the media on Monday, Sara Duterte who has taken leave from her position as mayor was grateful for this sort of support from her family saying that…
“Sa family, ganoon talaga kami. I understand his reaction, whether right or wrong, hindi kami nag-iiwanan,” she said.
Interpretted thus: “It’s really like that in my family and I understand [my father’s] reaction. Whether right or wrong, we stick together.”
These words seem to validate much of the observation made on the renowned feudal system that remains the heart and soul of governance in the Philippines contrary to Filipinos’ claims — and aspirations — to counting themselves as members of modern civilisation.
Not surprisingly, wherever feudal approaches to doing things come up Catholic Bishops are there to provide support. His Eminence Felixberto Calang of Inpeace Mindanao, said…
“The controversy over Sara Duterte’s punching of a court sheriff in order to delay the actual demolition of homes of informal settlers in Davao’s Agdao district is a clear case where morality should be the larger consideration than legal ethics,”
Calang also reportedly said that “Duterte’s action which intended to delay the actual demolition was ‘a clear case where morality should be the larger consideration than legal ethics’.”
As in most publicity stunts, timing is everything. Perhaps an “indignation rally” planned by by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Davao City on the 1st of July will raise “awareness” of what is really an obvious facet of life in the Philippines. Then again, maybe not, considering that…
CHR-Davao Director Alberto Sipaco dismissed perceptions that Mayor Sara Duterte and Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte are being singled out by the planned protest against rampant summary executions in the city.
[…]
Sipaco said indignation rally is not targeting any sector or individual, but would point out the fact of summary killings in this city that should be the concern of every sector.
“There is no finger pointing here,” Sipaco said.
The irony with the defensive though is that they tend to readily take offense from what are really “innocent” expressions of “indignation.” Bato-bato’s are, after all, birds.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
That finger guy scares me. It is Ampatuan all over again, without the guns (in plain view). People in Davao can’t see that? They think this stuff is cute? Is macho? Is intelligent? For me, transfer Mindanao to China. Let them have that bunch of lunatics. Swap’em for the oil reserves on those islands everyone is getting pissy over.
If the said Death Squad is being run by the Dutertes:
Once these “leaders” die, instead of being saved for their “inexhaustible and exemplary humane support and protection” towards the people of Davao- they will be castrated, mutilated and burnt in hell for their inadmissible, unimaginable worst deeds yet—taking into account the total number of druglords, rapists and thugs that they have killed in the past so far since they ruled the said “safest place to live.” What an irony…Tsk3x. . .
Easy for you to say when your up cozied up in a safe place. Mindanao is a melting pot of cultures and radical ideas. In this island alone, you have the communist NPA’s rampant, then you have jihadists and islam in the MNLF, MILF and BIFF (not that there’s anything inherently wrong with islam btw) not to mention the different muslim warlords and private armies, When you’re faced with those odds with open borders, you’re forced on the defensive. Do you know Davao’s history? Do you even know what life there was prior? Crimes were off the charts, Mindanao was notorious back then(even til now unfortunately)I’m in no way supporting dynasties but in a premature environment who’s not yet ready for western ideas, an iron fist is what you need, at least temporarily until the provinces mature, We’re still stuck in colonial spain than in Freedom loving americans. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but transfering mindanao to china? swapping for islands? that’s not an opinion at all, let alone something open for debate. so let me just say this with the utmost respect i can, shut your hole.
The Elder Duterte thinks, we are still living in the Feudal Age; in which we are…Look at the Hacienda Luisita Massacre…not investigated, covered-up.
Violence is the way these people ruled their City. I am not surprized that “Death Squads” are roaming freely in Davao, killing people on suspicion, only.
The Church supports these suspected murderers…see, if Feudalism and Theocracy, rule the land? Religious people condoning atrocities? Feudal Clan has an iron grip on the population?
That’s not feudalism, that’s fascism.
In a country stuck in a rut due to Spain’s colonial influence(which is partly why most of the country’s provinces is still stuck with feudalistic ideas., fascism seems the shortcut for change. But it is risky as it depends too much on a select few, which is why i support federalism instead.
Do we just leave the country to this “civilized politician” and at the back they keep on stealing money of the people? or trust Mayor Duterte who hasn’t been tainted with corruption (stealing money)?
If it wasn’t for Mayor Duterte, Davao City would’ve still been a murder capital of the country and now has the lowest crime rate in the philippines. the only city in asia which uses the 911 as the emergency number (google Central 911 davao city).
Mayor Duterte became congressman and never liked it because of corruption. he actually knows the people who are into the taking of money.
He has achieve more goals than other mayors in the archipelago then you just judge him by this simple incident?
let me explain:
Inday Duterte needs to show strength by punching the policeman. a show of strength that only the poor people will understand (feudal thinking). this people are poor and deprived from all comforts of life then suddenly their settlements will be demolished without the mayor talking to them peacefully to avoid riots (metro manila style). that’s why she got pissed and the unfortunate happened. as what mayor duterte said, “as long as ther are poor people, we need to remain feudal.”
why feudal? ganito yan, in mindanao, there are tribes: maranao, iranun, lumad, giakan, sama, tausug, etc. so, even if it’s already 21st century, their minds and culture are still at the time of 1500s, Feudalism. So, mayor duterte needs to apply it. i may be wrong, but this is my theory / opinion. the paradigm of the community in mindanao is different here in luzon in such a way that we tagalogs can mingle with ilocanons, bicolanos, bisaya, etc. probably because we are christians. in Davao City, it’s a melting pot of filipinos regarless of tribe/religion.
i already visited Davao City and if i would have money i would migrate there and leave this shit hole metro manila in the dirt. visit Davao City and experience the civility of the dabawenyos through discipline, obedience and respect.
and now it’s 2015, people from all over the archipelago now knows who the real Mayor Duterte is. if he runs for the office, i will vote for him because he advocates federalism/parliamentary.
Please don’t judge the situation as it may seem to be. The story has a very deep background and the people of Davao understand her. Don’t compare the Duterts to tyrants because the dutertes only do things for the welfare of the people. The people know that only they have the capability to do that unlike CORRUPT rival Political Party. So to the people judging ignorantly, you sound like fools. I bet these guys who commented before me were paid to comment like that. look at their names.
I agree with you.
just do a little research about the history of davao with the Dutertes. you will see they do far more Good than bad.
somehow, davao is becoming a better city than NCR. surely something is doing good over there.
Honestly, I think CHR went ridiculous over the middle finger issue, they should be thankful that it got censored on TV instead of ranting on it, they should focus on more serious stuff like idk, extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances instead of ranting over a politician who just flipped the bird.
another stupid, squatter coddling politician, without squatters and other human vermin, no one will vote for a scumbag like this Duterte asswipe
Do we just leave the country to this “civilized politician” and at the back they keep on stealing money of the people? or trust Mayor Duterte who hasn’t been tainted with corruption (stealing money)?
If it wasn’t for Mayor Duterte, Davao City would’ve still been a murder capital of the country and now has the lowest crime rate in the philippines. the only city in asia which uses the 911 as the emergency number (google Central 911 davao city).
Mayor Duterte became congressman and never liked it because of corruption. he actually knows the people who are into the taking of money.
He has achieve more goals than other mayors in the archipelago then you just judge him by this simple incident?
let me explain:
Inday Duterte needs to show strength by punching the policeman. a show of strength that only the poor people will understand (feudal thinking). this people are poor and deprived from all comforts of life then suddenly their settlements will be demolished without the mayor talking to them peacefully to avoid riots (metro manila style). that’s why she got pissed and the unfortunate happened. as what mayor duterte said, “as long as ther are poor people, we need to remain feudal.”
why feudal? ganito yan, in mindanao, there are tribes: maranao, iranun, lumad, giakan, sama, tausug, etc. so, even if it’s already 21st century, their minds and culture are still at the time of 1500s, Feudalism. So, mayor duterte needs to apply it. i may be wrong, but this is my theory / opinion. the paradigm of the community in mindanao is different here in luzon in such a way that we tagalogs can mingle with ilocanons, bicolanos, bisaya, etc. probably because we are christians. in Davao City, it’s a melting pot of filipinos regarless of tribe/religion.
i already visited Davao City and if i would have money i would migrate there and leave this shit hole metro manila in the dirt. visit Davao City and experience the civility of the dabawenyos through discipline, obedience and respect.
and now it’s 2015, people from all over the archipelago now knows who the real Mayor Duterte is. if he runs for the office, i will vote for him. 🙂