IBP urges sheriff to press charges against Duterte

MANILA, Philippines—Integrated Bar of the Philippines  national president Roan Libarios said Saturday he was urging court sheriff Abe Andres to file a disciplinary complaint against Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for punching him a few times in the face for doing his job.

“(Duterte) could be subject to  disciplinary action by the IBP independent of her duties as a public official, which falls under the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government),” Libarios told the Inquirer by phone when sought for comment on Duterte’s beating of Andres on Friday.

Being a lawyer, Duterte is automatically under the authority of the IBP.

“I encourage (Andres) to file a complaint. Filing a case against her would test the limits of the exercise of her power as a public official who happens to be a lawyer,” Libarios added.

Libarios said he would rather not give a comment on behalf of the IBP on Duterte’s actions because it might be considered prejudicial if and when someone files a disbarment case against the city mayor.

It would be the IBP that would try and decide a disbarment case.

The IBP has a Committee on Bar Discipline which all lawyers in the country are subject to.

Human rights lawyer Theodore Te said it would have to be Andres who should file a disciplinary case against Duterte because he was the aggrieved party.

Te, who had earlier expressed outrage over the mayor’s action, said that Duterte would be made to account for her actions, and that the state can file a complaint for direct assault or physical injuries against Duterte, on behalf of Andres, through the Supreme Court or the Office of the Court Administrator.

Still, Te said, any complaint would need the cooperation of Andres.

On Friday, Andres said he would not file any complaint against Duterte yet and would wait for the consensus of court sheriffs, as well as advice from the Sheriffs’ Confederation of the Philippines, before deciding on his course of action.

Duterte punched Andres three to four times in the face in a fit of anger. She said Andres ignored her request that the demolition of illegal shanties in Davao City’s Agdao district be delayed for two hours.