Palace exec: Video on Davao chewing incident 1st step in probe on Vice Mayor Duterte

  A video of an incident where Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte supposedly had a suspected swindler chew a spurious document may be the first step in a probe by the Department of Interior and Local Government, a Malacañang official said over the weekend.

 

But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace is no longer likely to comment further on the case, since it may eventually reach it.

 

“May video yata kasi [na] lumabas. I’m pretty confident the DILG will be getting its hands on that,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio on Sunday.

 

For now, she said the DILG and Commission on Human Rights are poised to investigate the case.

 

Likewise, Valte said that while there is no formal complaint yet against Duterte on the incident, the DILG already ordered a fact-finding investigation.

 

“We will refrain from making any comment kasi baka sa amin mapunta yan. Hindi (kami magku) kumento habang binubuo ang fact-finding investigation,” she said.

Bad breath?

 

The controversy involved Duterte having suspected swindler Manolito Gavas eat his allegedly fake land title after learning he had duped many residents in the city.

 

Gavas was arrested Monday last week for allegedly convincing city residents they can own lots in the city. Many of his victims paid P250 a month for the supposed land title.

 

But Rodrigo, who is known for his no-nonsense stance against crime, said Thursday he had Gavas chew not the land title but chewing gum, supposedly because Gavas' breath smelled bad.

 

The vice mayor's chewing-gum claim came after Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales said on her Twitter account Wednesday that his act was an "insult" to the dignity of the suspect.

 

"Insulto sa dignidad ng nakakulong na suspek sa swindling nang pilit pinaubos ni Davao City Vice Mayor Duterte ang umanoy fake land title," Rosales tweeted.

 

On the other hand, a report on dzBB radio said Gavas is not keen on filing a complaint against Duterte over the incident.

 

City police head Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa was also quoted as saying Gavas would not say if Duterte made him chew the supposedly fake land titles he had, or merely chew gum. — RSJ, GMA News