Duterte reprimanded for assault on sheriff

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has reprimanded Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for repeatedly punching a court sheriff who was only trying to implement a court order to demolish homes in a depressed area more than a year ago.

In a decision forwarded to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the anti-graft agency warned the local government official that a repetition of the incident will be dealt with more severely.

Duterte, daughter of former mayor and now Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, was charged for assaulting court sheriff Abe Andres during a demolition operation in Barangay Soliman, Agdao, Davao City.

The assault on the judicial officer was caught on national television, triggering reactions from different sectors.

Andres did not sue Duterte but the Sheriffs Confederation of the Philippines (SCOPHIL) filed criminal and administrative complaints against her.

The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the criminal aspect of the case for lack of a complainant but ruled that she should be reprimanded for the act.