Duterte finally issues apology to court sheriff

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – Mayor Sara Duterte yesterday finally apologized to a court sheriff who she punched a year ago for supposedly refusing to delay for at least two hours the demolition of shanties in Agdao district.

Duterte lost her cool and punched court sheriff Abe Andres of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 16 after a melee ensued and several people were injured as he turned down her earlier request to hold the demolition in the Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr.

Duterte sought the delay in the demolition, as she still had to attend to the needs of city residents affected by flashfloods that killed more than 30 people, mostly children.

The mayor wanted to be physically present at the start of the demolition to avoid any commotion.

After the incident, Andres was transferred to the Supreme Court.

Andres, however, refused to sue Duterte in spite of the prodding of several sectors.

Administrative charges and a disbarment case, however, were reportedly filed against Duterte.

“I wanted to extend my apology to Abe Andres and to his family. It is because I know that even though they were not personally there, they were affected by what happened,” the mayor told reporters in the vernacular.

Duterte’s apology came as a surprise, as her lawyers had advised her not to apologize over the incident since it could connote an admission of guilt.

However, Duterte said she was not apologizing to RTC Branch 16 Judge Emmanuel Carpio, who was then Andres’ superior and who ordered the demolition.

Duterte said her feud with Carpio, who happens to be the uncle of her husband, still stays.