DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte blasted the relief of the city police director, Chief Supt. Vicente Danao, as “an exercise of hypocrisy” and insisted that the Philippine National Police hierarchy return the police official to his post.
Danao’s relief stemmed from cases his wife had filed against him for battery, among others, at the Philippine Embassy in California.
Danao’s physical and verbal abuse against his wife came to public light through a video on YouTube. In the video, posted on Aug. 9 by user Hudas Ka, showed Danao shouting invectives at his wife and slapping her with slippers.
“Why relieve a person? Tell me who among the generals did not have a quarrel with his wife?” Duterte asked late on Monday.
It was on the same day that the Southern Mindanao police confirmed Danao’s relief and the appointment of Supt. Manuel Marvin Pepino, the city police’s chief for administration, as officer in charge city police director.
Duterte, in an ambush interview with reporters here late on Monday, admitted he had no power to oppose the police decision to have Danao removed but added that if he had his way, the embattled police director would remain in his post.
That was why he would not recommend a new police official to replace Danao, he said.
“I’m not naming anyone else,” Duterte said.
“They should reinstate Danao and let Danao face his case here,” he added.
Duterte maintained that what transpired between Danao and his wife was a “private matter” and that police authorities should not be carried away by sentiments in favor of the wife.
“Why should you be carried away by [public] sentiment? Why should you get involved in what you already know is a domestic problem?” he asked.
“I picked Danao; it’s up to Camp Crame to decide on that,” Duterte said.
Rep. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela Women’s Party earlier told reporters here that there was “no such thing as private matter when it concerns domestic violence,” which is punishable under Republic Act No. 9262, or the Violence against Women and Children Act.
Ilagan said domestic violence becomes “alarming” and “condemnable” when committed by ranking police officials, who are supposed to implement the law.
She said Gabriela had been in direct communication with Danao’s wife and the group was helping her. Germelina Lacorte, with a report from Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao