DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The YouTube video showing the city police director hitting and shouting at his wife stirred reactions on the Internet, from viewers questioning the act of the police director to viewers seeing as urgent the need to pass a divorce law in the country.
Senior Supt. Vicente Danao Jr., the city police chief, generated these reactions when a video, posted on August 9 by user Hudas Ka on YouTube, showed him shouting and hitting his wife, who was seen parrying his blows with a pair of blue sneakers. It was not very clear what the couple was arguing about, but a Balikbayan box, containing some breakables, stood in their midst, and was constantly hit by the angry police chief.
Danao, in a text message, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer he preferred not to comment on the incident, saying it was a “private matter.” He also
asked, “Me tinamaan ba (Was anybody hit)?” referring how his blows failed to hit his wife’s face.
Philippine laws, particularly Republic Act No. 9262, has defined certain forms of violence against women and children as punishable under the Revised Penal Code. Known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004,” RA 9262 defines acts of violence to include causing physical harm or threatening to cause physical harm to the woman or child, including such acts as battery and repeated verbal abuse.
“Why is a heartless beast chosen and remaining to be Davao City Police Office Director?” the user Hudas Ka commented after posting the 1-minute-and-18-second minute video.
A viewer named Carlos described the existing Philippine family laws as “antiquated,” and called for the legalization of divorce.
RELATED STORIES
Filipinas join ‘One Billion Rising’ flash mob against domestic violence
Davao mayor denies drugs involved in killing of Cebu businessman