The year 2016 was indeed a busy year for Davao City as the former Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was elected as the Philippine President, with the city creating its niche in the national level.
But there were other juicy issues as well. Below are some of the top stories in Davao City this year:
Rodrigo Duterte officially wins Philippines presidency
Former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gets more than 16 million votes after campaign pledge to clean the country.
Duterte edged out his closest rival, former Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas, who was endorsed by President Benigno Aquino, by more than six million votes.
He had assumed the presidency on June 30 when Aquino’s six-year term ended.
During his campaign, Duterte vowed to kill suspected illegal drug dealers and other criminals if elected president.
Drug cases
It can be recalled that President Duterte immediately launched an all-out war against illegal drugs.
Almost a hundred drug charges, as a result, reached the Office of the City Prosecutor and most were forwarded to the court.
The most sensational case was the arrest of lawyer Lorenzo Ballesteros Ta-asan III who was eventually sued for drug charges.
Ta-asan was sued for violating of Sec. 5 (selling of illegal drugs), Sec. 11 (possession of illegal drugs) and Sec. 12 (possession of illegal drugs paraphernalia) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165) as he was arrested in a buy-bust operation inside an apartelle in Barrio Obrero on Sept. 29.
Among the charges, Section 5 carries the stiffest penalty — life imprisonment and a maximum of P10 million fine to any person who sells any dangerous drug, regardless of the quantity and purity involved.
Army joins fight vs. drugs
The Eastern Mindanao Command has joined the fight against illegal drugs aside from strengthening its anti-terrorism operations to support President Duterte’s fight against illegal drugs.
Major Ezra Balagtey, the EastMinCom spokesperson, said this was the order of their commander, Leutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero, to other military leaders in a conference at Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan.
“Our leader directed his unit commanders to coordinate closely with their local police counterparts,” Balagtey said, and that they were tasked to improve their data gathering on illegal drug personalities and other security threats and to conduct anti and counter-terrorism activities in the area.
He pointed out that the EastMincom and the Police National Police’s Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Eastern Mindanao signed a Joint Action Plan for the matter.
Abducted Norwegian freed
President Duterte on September 19 presented the Norwegian-national Kjartan Sekkingstad to the media after he was released on September 17 at Patikul, Sulu to former ARMM governor Nur Misuari and Sakur Tan II, Sulu governor.
Duterte presented Sekkingstad to the press at Matina Enclaves in the city along with Presidential Peace Adviser Sec. Jesus Dureza and Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Erik Forner.
He acknowledged the efforts of Peace Secretary Jesus Dureza and former MNLF chair Nur Misuari whom Duterte said they had worked tirelessly and patiently for the release of the kidnap victim.
“I would also like to thank Sakur Tan. It was a long negotiation, and we were able to recover Kjartan alive,” Duterte said.
It can be recalled that Sekkingstad was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf Group in Ocean View Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal on September 21, 2015.
Only Sekkingstad and Marites Flor were released while the other victims, Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were both killed.
Flor was released last June 24.
Dureza also told reporters that three Indonesians who were also hostages were released and turned over to their representative in Jolo . They immediately left for Jakarta.
Looking at Sekkingstad, Dureza said, “now, you are a free man.”
Roxas Night Market blast
15 persons died, and 69 others were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at the massage area of the Roxas Night Market on the evening of September 2, 2016.
However, according to Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, the measure of the success of terrorism is how long it takes for the victims to stand up, – the city must stand up now.
Davao City has bounced back up just days after the blast, Duterte-Carpio claimed.
The City Government of Davao has provided P4.5 million in financial assistance to the victims and the families of those who died in a bloody explosion.
President Duterte also lent a helping hand to victims and relatives of those who perished in the Roxas Night Market bombing during a simple dinner he tendered for them by providing P250,000 for victims who were permanently disabled by the blast.
The Chief Executive likewise handed out P250,000 each to the families of the 15 victims who died in the bombing while P100,000 cash assistance was also given to each of the victims who sustained minor injuries plus other medical care, including allowances for antibiotics.
The authorities indicated that 14 out of the original number of 22 suspects were charged while the others were acquitted for lack of evidence to support their involvement in the blast incident.
The suspects who will be tried in the Regional Trial Court – Branch 33 were Abubakar Zulkifli, TJ Tagadaya Macabalang, Wendel Facturan, Musali Mustapha, Datu Masla Sema, Abu Hadid Dilangalen, Jessy Vincent Original, Zack Haron Lopez, Pendatum Coy Mahurom alias Cocoy, Abu Calid, Abu Solaiman, Jackson Usi, and Ausa Mamasapano.
Among those acquitted, meanwhile, were Mohammad Chenikandiyil, Joab Balicas alias Abrar, Abu Shuhada, Daniel Abu Utman and Jing Pagayao for lack of probable cause.
The suspects, aside from multiple murder and multiple attempted murder, were also indicted for the commission of terrorism under Section 3 of the Republic Act 9372 otherwise known as the Human Security Act of 2007 involving Destruction under 324 of the Revised Penal Code.
TJ Tagadaya Macabalang, Wendel Factural, and Musaili Mustapha were arrested last October 4, and police seized the mobile phone containing the video footage before the bombing.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Lalaog Chenikandiyil alias Datu Boi, Jackson Mangulamas Usi alias Abu Mansor/Jam, Zack Villanueva Lopez alias Haron, and Ansan Abdulla Mamasapano alias Abu Hamsa were also arrested on October 29 after being tagged in the terror attack.
Police Officer Jessy Vincent Guinto Original, along with Arumpac Ibrahim Pandita, Hamsa Bagul, Musa Rasamal and Mohammad Said Jamla was also apprehended last December 22 in a police-army checkpoint in a town at Maguindanao.
‘False and malicious’
Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte broke his silence last October 4 regarding the accusations hurled against him by alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Edgar Matobato.
It can be recalled Matobato claimed that then-mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte, together with the presidential son, ordered the killings of drug pushers, rapists, snatchers, terrorists, political rivals and even civilians.
“It’s not our responsibility to kill people,” Vice Mayor Duterte said, adding that he never asked anyone to liquidate his enemies.
The vice mayor mentioned that he had never seen Matobato before and it would be unfair for the presidential son to show up in the Senate hearings just because of a “hearsay.”
Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) chief, described the testimony of Edgar Matobato in the extrajudicial killings during the Senate hearing as “false and malicious.”
“Those are false and malicious statements,” Dubria, said, adding that the accusations are all hearsay and were not supported by evidence.
Matobato also named SPO4 Arthur Lascanas, Supt. Antonio Rivera, now retired Col. Dionisio Abude and Reynaldo Capote as among those in the DDS operations.
“I don’t see any evidence implicating these police officers (to the allegation),” Dubria said.The DCPO chief stated that they don’t tolerate extrajudicial killings in the city.“It is not tolerated since it is illegal,” he said.
Dubria said he doesn’t personally know Matobato, but admitted he had heard the name even before the Senate hearing.
“I’m not sure if he is the same guy,” he said.
For his part, Rivera, now a senior superintendent, who is assigned as Dubria’s deputy director for administration, said he is not a member of the DDS.
“There is no DDS,” Rivera clarified.
While admitting that he saw Matobato before, he doesn’t know the self-proclaimed DDS hitman.
