Davao Mayor Punching Incident

 Title: Fist of Fury

 

Mayor Duterte’s fist did not only hit the face of Sheriff Andes, it also hit the local

 

tabloids and broadsheets alike nationwide. Now, after a couple of weeks, the

 

controversial skirmish, as we may call it, put the mayor at the other side of the

 

trouble receiving counter punches heavily, not by Sheriff Andes, nor by the same

 

fist she used for the assault, but from different sectors in the society; among them

 

the Sheriff Confederation of the Philippines and, recently, the DILG, in the form

 

of “Misconduct Cases” filed against her. The issue had not dwindled a little, for it

 

is still being the talked of the town, in the streets, in cafeterias, and even in the

 

cyberspace, for it dealt not only on the injuries that had inflicted on the hapless

 

sheriff but the implication to the world of politics, its effect on the sovereignty of

 

implementing the law in the country and to psychological apprehension of the

 

youth who also had the knowledge of the intrigue.  Some called it a grotesque

 

incident, to others an action-packed scene-relieving the absence of Manny

 

Pacquiao’s boxing schedules, and to some it is a mere losing of one’s temper. But

 

to human advocates, it is a clear human rights violation from a high ranking

 

official to an  ordinary public servant.  The picture is now clearer as to

 

whom the supports went. The “punched one” now has a placid life going. He

 

made a right decision of not reacting harsh. The puncher now seemed to be in

 

deep trouble to the extent of losing her post. Her popularity is diminishing and

 

criticisms are building up immensely, especially that some entities riding on the

 

issue air sympathy on the battered Sheriff Andes. But after all that have said and

 

done, there seemed to be some issue that had not given proper consideration.

 

What about the moral obligation felt by the mayor at the time? What struck the

 

lady’s heart upon seeing her constituents rioting against the demolition team and

 

the police force where some were being hit and wounded at the time?  Mayor

 

Duterte asked a two hour extension because she was attending a flood relief

 

operation in another part of the city. As the city mayor she saw to it that her

 

constituents were given proper relief in those exigencies. She then rushed to the

 

demolition site, arriving upon havoc. A riot had been already staged during her

 

absence. Seeing her constituents being driven away violently; a two hour

 

extension that was put in vain, a flood relief operation there and a drastic situation

 

here, made the matters worst. Heaven only knew what possessed the mayor at the

 

very hour! She then confronted Sheriff Andes and the rest was history. If I may

 

share my humble views, levity aside, was not that deep emotional outburst pushed

 

Mayor Duterte of losing her temper? After all, public service does not only reside

 

on levity matters but of many aspects in life, not excluding emotional appeals.

 

She being a mother of her family and the city, do also has a heart that is bound to

 

defy the odds and even become violent sometimes when time requires-a nature of

 

being a mother. It should also be noted that had mayor Duterte not arrive at the

 

demolition site, the riot would not have ended. And in the larger scale, casualties

 

could have been a possibility. She had only displayed a heart of a Filipino. . She

 

did not pretend. She did not laid her side to those “big” people behind the

 

demolition. She hadn’t been afraid of exposing herself to critics and

 

condemnations by any entities, by his detractors or political opponents; not even

 

fearing the possibility of losing her post or the liabilities that will be inflicted by

 

the higher offices. We have seen and witnessed an issue that will perhaps linger

 

for a long time. Different contradicting views will loom, some will favor, some

 

will not, but above all these, only fate will determine whether the intrigue will be

 

justified or not. Yet whether an unfavorable instance occur to the good mayor, I

 

say that she had already etched story inside this heart of mine, because I have

 

this belief that not all aggressions are  villainous, for there had been no tyrants

 

that had not been subdued without that same fist. That same fist is the emblem for

 

lowly and the masses. And blotting out that kind of intrepidity in the books,

 

history wouldn’t be the same. On my part it is thus noble, if not heroic.                              

 

 

 

            Reference: Mostly from GMA T.V news.

 

 

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