by Ram Maxey
THERE was a time when, in the course of human events, society was largely viewed as a “man’s world” –although the application of that theory has varied from one country to another, from one generation to another . Even today, there are still places in the world where male dominance over the opposite sex in various aspects of human relationship is still the rule rather than the exception. Where the male of the species is deemed superior to the female, period. No “ifs nor buts…take it or leave it!” Such primitive mentality, unfortunately for their fairer sex, still prevails in certain societies.
But the women’s liberation movement has gone a long way since the time of the last cave man. Today, women in many countries have found their niche in human society. They compete with men in all kinds of human endeavor, be it in the fields of business, politics, sports, science, education, adventure, engineering, the law profession, medicine, you name it. Even in the field of warfare you find women occupying high ranks. Today, women marry other women, even as men marry other men.
Not only that. Wives have been taken to court for inflicting physical injury on their husbands. So, there you are. Who said this is a man’s world?
Nearer to home, Dabawenyos have elected a lady in the person of Sara Duterte-Carpio. Herself a lawyer like her father, whom she succeeded to the position, “Inday Sara” as she is often referred to by her constituents, has inherited all the problems that her father Rody had to put up with in the many years he was city mayor. She also inherited his temper, by the way. Like father, like daughter. She also inherited his landmark accomplishments that have been the envy of mayors elsewhere, a relatively peaceful city which has become, as per Rody Duterte’s dictum, “a dangerous place for criminals!”. A city that bans smoking in public places for the sake of public health. A city that bans fireworks and pyrotechnics to avoid serious injuries (even death and fire) to its citizens. A city that does not tolerate drug addiction and drug lords. A city that welcomes investors and makes it easier for them to do business sans the usual hassle. A city that has pioneered in unique legislation that protects women’s and children’s rights. A city that patiently reaches out to its countrymen in the hills who are fighting the government, ostensibly for redress of perceived grievances (for, after all, they still are our brothers and sisters).
Only last week, Inday Sara had sleepless nights seeing to the needs of thousands of Dabawenyo victims of a devastating flood that had killed more than thirty people, many of them children. On top of that she had to contend with the problem of relocating thousands of informal settlers in Agdao whose houses were up for demolition on the strength of a court order. Sara asked the court sheriff to give her time—two hours—to talk to the settlers in order to avoid violence. Armed with rocks, wooden clubs—even Indian pana (darts)–the settlers were in no mood to haggle with the demolition team headed by the sheriff, Abe Andres. Sara wanted to stave off any violence and bloodshed. But the sheriff reportedly would not hear of it and insisted on carrying out the demolition. A mistake it turned out.
The harried mayor, who and just come from seeing to the distribution of relief goods to the flood victims, lost her cool and promptly punched the sheriff several times in an incident caught on video that was transmitted around the world in minutes, triggering varied reactions—pro and con. Mostly pro, incidentally, from among Filipino viewers.
If GenSan has its Pacman, Davao City has its Inday Sara. The four-punch combination she delivered against the sheriff was made only with her right hand, which makes her a one-dimensional fighter in the parlance of the fight game. I could not tell from watching the replay whether it was a right straight, a right hook, or a semi-right hook. What’s the difference? But it was potent enough for Sara to order her bodyguard to accompany the sheriff to the hospital for treatment of contusions. Anyway, a new court order immediately stayed the demolition for another ten days, although, meanwhile Sara had persuaded the settlers to be relocated elsewhere. Ergo, no bloodshed. All’s well, that ends well?
Don’t count on it. The Commission on Human Rights is getting into the act. So is the DILG. The fighting lady mayor says she is ready to face investigation into the incident and took a leave of absence starting Thursday this week to give way to the probe. Abangan. It is expected that political rivals may try to make capital out of the incident. But from where we view it, what happened in Agdao last Friday was simply a “tempest in a tea pot” as the saying goes. It simply afforded a comic relief from people’s personal problems. Everyone had a good laugh watching the video replays.
