MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte did not want to intervene in the "personal" affairs of Davao City Police Office Director Senior Supt. Vicente Danao Jr. who recently figured in a viral video hitting his "wife."
"That incident being shown on YouTube is personal to Danao that has nothing to do with his work as a police director," Duterte said in a interview aired over ABS-CBN Tuesday.
The video was uploaded August 9 by YouTube user "Hudas Ka," claiming that Danao verbally and physically abuses his wife despite police blotter reports.
"Senior Supt. Vicente Danao is reportedly inhumane even to his own family as depicted in the police blotters during occasions his battered wife sought help in the local police station," the uploader said in a comment posted below the video.
Danao, who is in police uniform, is seen hitting and hurling invectives at a woman in the mobile phone recording.
Danao said in previous reports that the video was taken years ago and was recently a ploy of a kin seeking to have him removed from police service.
"No comment lang. Salamat sa nag-upload," the cop said in an interview aired Tuesday night on ABS-CBN's Bandila.
Women's rights group Gabriela, meanwhile, condemned domestic violence seen in the video and vowed to support the police director's wife.
Gabriela Southern Mindanao Region told community paper EDGE Davao that Mrs. Danao has earlier filed a case against his allegedly abusive husband. - Camille Diola