DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said on Wednesday, September 21 that he did not mean to insult or humiliate the citizen who messaged him after their controversial exchange on social media.
In an interview during the Special Hour radio program on the Davao City Disaster Radio, Duterte said he merely threw a question in response to the private citizen who questioned his response to the widespread water interruption crisis in the city.
“It could have been answered with a simple yes or no question, then humana (done). Wala man ko gilabay nga insult or whatsoever (I did not throw an insult or whatsoever),” Duterte said.
This came after their conversation, posted by Duterte on September 19, went viral on social media and sparked criticism directed toward both Duterte and the private citizen.
The citizen said, “Most livable city pa ba ta, mayor? When we have to check in to hotels for a bath on wash rate, may unta og i-reimburse nimo... What are your plans? Mas makagutom wala’y tubig kesa kuryente. We can’t cook kasi walang tubig. Tanggala ang Davao Life is Here na poster kay murag saimong reign nawala ang pagka-livable sa city (Are we still the most livable city, mayor? When we have to check in hotels just for water, it's not like you will reimburse the cost. What are your plans? We can't cook because there is no water. Take down the Davao Life is Here poster because it's not applicable anymore since your term started).”
“Ingon ana gyod ka kabulok nga tanaw nimo nagkaproblema ug tubig diha tungod sa duha ka bulan nako nga nilingkod kong mayor? Ingon ana gyod ka kabulok nga tanaw nimo wala nako gipangutana sa Davao City Water District (DCWD) og Apo Agua? (Is that how stupid you are to think that the water problem is because of my two months as mayor? Do you think I did not reach out to DCWD?),” Duterte said in response.
Some netizens commented how the private citizen disrespected the mayor through their message, while some said Duterte should have responded the way he did since he is a public official.
“Usahay man gud, manginsulto ka, dapat kabalo pud ka mudawat kung insultuhon ka. Ana ra man na (Sometimes if you insult someone, you should also know how to take an insult),” Duterte said.
Duterte explained that Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., which is building the bulk water supply system of Davao City, has moved its completion date a number of times, thus the city does not have enough water supply every time the Davao City Water District (DCWD) announces a supply interruption.
“I told them (Apo Agua) to let the people know what to expect. Nag commit man si Apo Agua, bago lang mi nag kita. Nihangyo ko sa ilaha na ‘kamo pag istorya sa mga tao kay kamo man kabalo unsa mahitabo’ kay dili man ko tagiya sa tubig, dili pud ko engineer (Apo Agua already committed. I asked them to inform the public properly because I’m not a water supplier nor an engineer to know the technicalities of the project),” the mayor said. ICM