I Am Blogie

From now on, I will be blogging about scuba diving experiences and my marine conservation advocacy over at a new blog: Scuba DAVAO. It’s a community site and Dabawenyo divers are welcome!

I was shocked when I heard about Mayor Sara Duterte’s unconscionable act this afternoon. As a Dabawenyo, I felt deeply embarrassed that our city mayor could descend to that level of baseness. Whether the man who got punched (several times) by the mayor was out of line for his actions or not, violence is never an acceptable response. Especially not from the highest-ranking city official.

It could be that the mayor, embattled from different fronts due to the ineptness of her government in anticipating the recent flash flood, which killed more than 20 people, probably found an opportunity to gain the people’s favor by providing them with some entertainment. Tawdry, at best, but as you might have noticed in the video, the gathered masses were cheering her on.

Or maybe the mayor was so miffed by the apparent lack of respect from the sheriff that she unleashed her temper on him as soon as he arrived on the scene.

Either way, violence is unacceptable and unbecoming, to say the least.

This distasteful incident brings to mind the banana republics of South America way back when — the era of despotic dictators and mesmerized constituents.