Who will protect you from the protectors? Davao - safe for foreigners or not ?

[Davaoeno 37,510]

An Aussie is in prison in Davao charged with assault and frustrated murder- from a traffic confrontation with Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and some 20 of his bodyguards.

 

It  seems the VM's vehicle convoy almost ran the Aussie's car off the road, causing the Aussie to swerve and almost hit the VM's car. The VM and about 20 bodyguards all jumped out of their vehicles and angrily confronted the Aussie- who at that point took off down the road, only to be pursued and arrested.  The Aussie said he thought he was being kidnapped - since a robbery attempt earier this year in CDO led to his  friend being killed, and that none of the bodyguards wore uniforms, and he did not know the VM

 

So the VM has had him arrested and the VM's atty says they will deport him - as soon as due process is complied with .  The Aussie is 73 years old  and apparently a retired treasure hunter/deep sea diver .

 

Vice mayor sues Australian over traffic melee

^-AA⁺A

 

By Ruji Peter S. Abat

Thursday, August 29, 2013

DAVAO City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his police escort filed complaints before the City Prosecutor's Office against an Australian national who allegedly tried to run over them along McArthur Highway in Bangkal, Davao City Tuesday.

Facing charges of direct assault and frustrated murder is Michael Hatcher, a 73-year-old businessman, who hails from Queensland, Australia and a transient resident of Doña Vicenta Village, Phase 2.

Duterte along with Police Officer 2 Roy Osiones filed the complaint before Prosecutor Gaye Cañete Magdasang on Tuesday afternoon.

Investigation conducted by Talomo police showed that Hatcher was travelling along the south bound lane of the said highway onboard a Honda Stream Wagon while Duterte and his convoy were coming from Tahimik Avenue, and was on their way to downtown area.

Duterte's convoy allegedly blocked the way of Hatcher's vehicle, prompting the latter to swerve his vehicle in an attempt to avoid Duterte's convoy.

But as Hatcher swerved to the left, he came close to hitting the white Nissan Navarra pick up which was part of Duterte's convoy.

Duterte along with Osiones alighted from their vehicle and introduced themselves to Hatcher, who ignored them and sped off his vehicle, instead.

Fortunately, Duterte and Osiones avoided the accelerating vehicle that almost hit them.

Part of Duterte's convoy chased Hatcher and cornered him in front of the Mabini Elementary School in Bangkal. Hatcher was then endorsed to Talomo police where he is currently detained.

Duterte told reporters on Tuesday that Hatcher was the one who blocked their way and when he along with Osiones approached the Australian's vehicle, the accused rolled down his window and started shouting at them and accelerated his vehicle.

Duterte also cited Hatcher was also infuriated when he was arrested and he wanted to assault the vice mayor.

Duterte's lawyer Alexis Lumbatan, in a separate interview, said: "Padulong gyud na sa deportation proceedings kay mao man ni ang mga preliminaries nga pwede ipasakang kaso sa iyaha. Of course, naa tay due process nga gina-follow that is why we are gathering all the evidence nga magpatuod nga kaning tawhana dili desirable nga alien, (This case is on its way to deportation proceedings as it is the preliminaries that may be charged against him. Of course we have due process to follow that is why we are gathering all the evidence to prove that he is an undesirable alien.)"

For his part, Hatcher said he was still traumatized after he was kidnapped in Cagayan de Oro City months ago, the reason why he didn't want to talk to Duterte when they tried to approach him.

"I don't know who the vice mayor of Davao City is. I don't even know who the mayor is. So when he was approaching me, I then sped off thinking that he might be a kidnapper," Hatcher told Sun.Star Davao.

The foreigner also said the people who approached him were not wearing any uniform that is why he tried to resist arrest.

The foreigner also said that Duterte lost his temper and was shouting and pointing at his face when he was accosted by the latter's escort.

Hatcher added he is set to file charges against Duterte for abuse of authority, breaking traffic laws and illegal detention

Young Duterte rages at septuagenarian British-Aussie in road mishap

Posted by: DAVAO TODAY Posted date: August 29, 2013 In: Davao City, Headline, Politics |comment : 0

By DAVAO TODAY

Davao City—A miffed Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte had a 73-year old British Australian national jailed following a heated argument in a road crash, Wednesday morning.

Police arrested Michael Hatcher for “assault” and “disrespecting persons in authority,” as Duterte later filed formal charges at the fiscal’s office.

Duterte’s car, a Toyota SUV, was coming out of Tahimik Avenue when the Honda van of Hatcher, a treasure and deep-sea diver British-Australian, cut in and allegedly collided with his car.

“Pagtabok nako sa Tahimik, gikan siya sa pikas lane, iya kong gisugat gyud bumper-to-bumper. (I was crossing Tahimik (street) and he came from the other lane, his car met us bumper-to-bumper),” he told reporters.

Duterte said he came down from his car to confront Hatcher, but said the foreigner shouted at him and sped off almost hitting him and police officers who responded to the incident.

“Pagbaba namo, pagkatok nako sa passenger side, naa na gani ang pulis atubangan sa iyang sakyanan. Daghan siyag gipangsinggit. Mao to pag-abante niya, hapit mi niya maligsan, nag-ambak mi. Paggukod nako sa iya, ninaog ko, ninaog pod siya, gusto pa gani ko niya kulatahan(When we got down, I knocked at the passenger side while the police was in front of his car. He was screaming at us. Then he sped off and almost ran over us. I chased him and got down. He also got down. Then he wanted to assault me),” said a visibly irate Duterte.

“Nagsiyagit siya (He even shouted): ‘This is only the Philippines, I am an Australian. I don’t give a [email protected] here,’” Duterte added.

Duterte said he was miffed by Hatcher’s arrogance.

“Ngano nanganhi pa mo dinhi? Kamo mga foreigners, respect the Philippines. (Why are you here? You foreigners, respect the Philippines), I don’t give a [email protected],” he told reporters.

Hatcher, in an interview on GMA 7 Davao television, denied the vice mayor’s claim.

“He’s saying I assaulted him. He has 20 bodyguards, and I had my hands in the air. And he was pointing his finger at me right in my eyes and screamed the F word and screamed: ‘I will deport you’,” Hatcher said.

At that time, Hatcher said, he had no idea he was confronting with the City’s vice mayor.

He said he sped off because he was involved in a robbery incident in Cagayan de Oro where his friend got killed last February.

Hatcher plans to file a counter-complaint against the vice mayor.

“He’s the freaking vice mayor! Why does he act like that?” he asked.

He told reporters, “(B)oth of us should apologize and let the issue die.”

The young Duterte was also involved in similar situations in the past where he was hot-tempered. In 2011, he flashed a dirty finger sign against critics of his sister, then Mayor Sara Duterte who punched a sheriff during an urban poor community demolition. (davaotoday.com)

 

I have included 3 different news sources since they dont all say the same thing.  What can I safely say as a foreigner living in Davao ? Do I risk my own freedom by passing any comment on the matter?

Last year Paolo Duterte was sitting at a traffic light and a Weena bus went thru a red light. Paolo forced the bus off the road and pistol whipped the driver .

Its nice to live in a place where there is a very strong presence of law and order, but what do I do when I feel that anything i say about something will lead me to suffer a lot of grief- ?

 

here is a link to a page that LinC wont let me post - it includes a picture of the front page of a local newspaper

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/superbalita-davao/balita/2013/08/28/duterte-naalaang-kidnaper-300252

 

 

Edited August 29, 2013 by Davaoeno

[panther 845]

thats not a wise move ,filing a case against duwerte lol

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

 

what do I do when I feel that anything i say about something will lead me to suffer a lot of grief- ?

 

umm...don't say anything ?

[Davaoeno 37,510]

umm...don't say anything ?

 

 

umm- it was a rhetorical question Fred !! lol       I just hope i dont get accused of being a coward if i dont go on tv and try to protect the foreigner !

Edited August 29, 2013 by Davaoeno

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

umm- it was a rhetorical question Fred !! lol       I just hope i dont get accused of being a coward if i dont go on tv and try to protect the foreigner !

 

 

print or any other type of media won't due. it must be tv or else you're a big fat fag.  

[tobster 1,038]

umm- it was a rhetorical question Fred !! lol       I just hope i dont get accused of being a coward if i dont go on tv and try to protect the foreigner !

Coward...................

[Art 6,548]

What could you do anyway to help the foreigner?

[JamesMusslewhite 14,317]

It would be simple. The whole of the expat community to network and file a partition, and contact their embassies. The contact all news media and do an internet campaign to expose the injustice.

 

Odds are, there will be no network formed, no one will want to put their name on a partition, even if they were to actually call their embassies there would be nothing done, most of the news medias will never be contacted to even be ably to do a followup report, and this thread will be the only thing on the internet; and even here the pacifist will merely taint, insult, badger and argue with anyone willing to take action.

 

So in the end this thread will either be just end or be locked, the Aussie is still screwed, and everyone there in Davao better just keep kissing the Vice Mayors ass like good little puppies...

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

 

Odds are, there will be no network formed, no one will want to put their name on a partition

 

here are some nice new blank ones ready to be signed. have at it james.

 

 

[seaman 177]

Balance.  Therein lies the problem.  It is good to have a tough on crime Mayor in Davao but when the administration (including the mayor's son who is featured in the OP) acts with impunity that it is above the law, sooner or later, not only the criminals have to fear the Mayor but the unfortunate innocent few who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It is not unlike absolute power corrupts absolutely as the longer the tough on crime mayor does things that are questionable (in defense of fighting crime) there will be more cases like this where innocent people are sacrificed.

 

 

seaman

[HeyMike 11,063]

Seems like an honest mistake. Aussie should apologize and shake hands with the VM and the matter should be over with.... oh I forgot... the losing face thing.... bon chance Aussie dude.

[Davaoeno 37,510]

could someone pls correct my thread title spelling error 

[spooks 1,729]

All that can be possibly wrong with this country is encapsulated in the actions of this member of this political family and their cronies.   

 

Wang wang impunity by another name.

 

They say the authorities read boards like this. I hope they do and perhaps get an idea of why it is this place stays off the radar for so many investors and tourists.

 

One day the adults of this place will start to grow up and act their individual and collective ages.

 

Uh Oh another deportation coming our way

Edited August 29, 2013 by spooks

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

could someone pls correct my thread title spelling error 

 

 

what's up you fearless container-head...anyone who is capable of spelling partition should know protector is spelled protecter.

[Davaoeno 37,510]

what's up you fearless container-head...anyone who is capable of spelling partition should know protector is spelled protecter.

 

this time I'm actually not sure if you are joking or not ??   Davao is spelt with an "o" - the same as is   " protector"  !!      

 

and at least he spelt partition correctly lol