DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 29, 2012) – A Filipino mayor who punched a sheriff during a demolition row has apologized one year after the violent incident.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, of Davao City, was caught on news television repeatedly punching Sheriff Abe Andres after she failed to stop him carrying out a court order to demolish more than 200 illegal houses in Agdao district.
Carpio has apologized to Andres and to his family and asked forgiveness from the public, according to state media.
“The Mayor expressed her apologies to the sheriff and also to his family who were also hurt by the incident though they were not physically present. She also asked forgiveness from her constituents over the incident,” the Philippine Information Agency reported on Friday.
“It was an unfortunate event, it will not happen again,” Carpio was quoted as saying.
The apology came ahead of national and local polls set in May where Carpio would again run for mayor.
Carpio punched the sheriff after he ignored her appeals to hold the demolition which resulted to a riot. The mayor said she told the sheriff to hold the demolition for two hours so she can peacefully negotiate with the squatters and prevent a riot.
The mayor’s bodyguards also held down the sheriff while Carpio continued to punch him and pulled his hair in front of dozens of policemen who did nothing to stop the politician.
Andres said his job was only ministerial and just carrying out a legitimate court order which the mayor has no jurisdiction.
Carpio, daughter of former Davao City mayor and now vice mayor Rodrigo Duterte, was investigated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government headed by Secretary Jesse Robredo, but had not been sanctioned.
The Commission on Human Rights and the National Prosecutors League of the Philippines condemned the attack on the sheriff. (Mindanao Examiner)
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