Tuesday, November 13, 2007 Mayor wants autopsy on Mariannet's body By Grace L. Plata
CITY Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte wants the body of 11-year-old Mariannet Amper to be exhumed for autopsy to determine what really caused her death.
"Ang fiscal ang naghatag (The prosecutor issued the) order for it and it is done ASAP. Murag karong hapon nila sugdan (I think they will do it this afternoon)," the mayor said.
Wanting to know where the City Government went wrong is Duterte's reason for wanting the autopsy done.
"Saan kami nagkamali? Baka ako talaga ang nagkamali that is why gusto ko ito para ma-correct yung mistake. I want the case re-investigated," Duterte said.
Duterte also reacted to Representative Prospero Nograles's snide remarks about the city, saying the misappropriation of the huge intelligence fund of the mayor resulted to the girl's suicide.
"Siya ang bakakon. Kung kanang iyang project sa Agusan nga 2.5 million gipalit niya na ug bugas para sa Davao, naa untay natabangan (Had he used that P2.5-million project for Agusan to buy rice for Davao, he could have helped people here). Ma-a is in the first district so he is also to blame," Duterte said.
Duterte was definitely not over with hurling tirades against Nograles.
He added: "Pangutan-a ra gud nang mga pulis o military kung gikuhaan ba nako na ilang funding or supplies. Kanang akong intelligence fund, naa na liquidation reports which are submitted for auditing. Kung naa may prweba nga gikuhaan nako na maski piso, magresign ko pagka-mayor (Ask the police or military if I have snitched from their funds or supplies. My intelligence fund is covered with liquidation reports. If there is proof that I snitched even a peso from that, I will resign as mayor)."
Reacting to Nograles reply that Duterte does not scare him, the mayor said, "Wala nako siya hadloka. Ma-isog o talawan siya, sagpaon gyud nako siya ug magkita mi (I was not trying to scare him. Whether he's scared or not, I will slap him when we see each other)."
The mayor also showed the media a document Monday saying its contents was one of the reasons why he is so mad at Nograles.
The document is a letter from Nograles to former Department of Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban dated August 25, 2005 wherein Nograles requests of the Panganiban an additional allocation of P2.5 million pesos for the farm-to-market road projects in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.
"He has robbed the people of their interests. He is robbing his constituency in the first district of Davao. Nganong didto man sa Agusan iyang proyekto nga mga katawhan man sa unang distrito maoy niboto niya? Daghan pa man unta ug kinahanglan ayuhon dinhi na farm-to-market roads (Why would he put his project in Agusan when the people of his districts were the ones who voted for him? There are lots of farm-to-market roads needed here). Magtuod is one," Duterte said.
Duterte also denied Nograles's accusation that he may be the reason why Nelson "Tata" Sala remains free.
"Walay withstanding warrant of arrest si Tata. Wala siya'y kaso (He doesn't have any pending case)," Duterte said, adding that Sala just bears the brunt of the congressman's anger because he chose to side with the Nograles's bets during the barangay elections.
Helping broadcaster Alex Adonis will also be one of the mayor's concerns. Adonis was the broadcaster sentenced for libel for implicating the Nograles in the Burlesk King issue.
"Siya man nang bakakon ba. Ipa-preso niya ang tao nga gasulti tinuod. Maski kanus-a, naa man gyud Ginoo, wala gyud ko manghilabot sa media o nanawag na manager nga ayaw ipagawas nang istorya kay gina-atake ko. Kung naa koy uyab, kabalo man ang mga tao ba (He's the liar. He sent to jail a person who was telling the truth. Ever since, and the Lord knows that, I never meddled with the media nor pressured a news manager to withhold a news because a staff is attacking me. And if ever I have a girlfriend, people know that)," Duterte said.
"You watch out! Naa koy ginaplano (I have plans) to help Adonis. Ga-consult pako karon unsay maayong buhaton (I'm still consulting what is best to do)," he added.
"Lain man gud ni si Nograles. Maayo lang ni kung atubang nimo, pagtalikod daghan bagulbol. Kung magkita mi, showtime gyud sa Davao (Nograles is good only when you're facing each other. Once your back is turned, he snipes at you. If our paths cross, it will be showtime in Davao)," the mayor said.
Should the president call for them both, Duterte said he will not show up the same time as Nograles as they might end up hitting each other and Arroyo will have a hard time breaking them up.
