Sara Duterte sacks Davao cop chief, task force head

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday morning announced the relief of the newly installed city police chief and the head of the Task Force Davao.

“It’s not about their qualifications, it’s about me,” Duterte said.

“I took what happened personally, there will be strained relationship between us if they continue to stay in their posts,” Duterte said at City Hall, where she attended her first flag-raising ceremony since she assumed office in June.

She wanted to replace Task Force Davao commander Col. Henry Robinson Jr. Robinson, who assumed the post only in May this year; and City Police Office director Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria, who only assumed the post in June this year. The mayor has not  named any replacement.

She apologized for whatever lapses the city may have that allowed suspects to sneak a bomb in a crowded night market.

READ: 14 dead, 67 hurt in Davao blast—police

“As city mayor of Davao, I have apologized for whatever,” she said.

Police said it has three persons of interest who could have planted the bomb in the massage section area, one of them was believed to have availed of the massage services and suspiciously left before his massage was finished. RAM/rga

READ: Police hunting 3 persons of interest in Davao blast