MANILA — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte said he is waiting for the authentication of a video spreading online allegedly showing him threatening and assaulting a man at a bar, adding in a video message sent by his office that he cannot respond to the criminal complaint against him until he receives a copy of it.

The Department of Justice has confirmed that a complaint for physical injuries and grave threats has been filed against the lawmaker by a Davao City resident.

Rep. Duterte faces physical injuries, grave threats raps at DOJ

"The testimony, the affidavit came out on social media before the fiscal. And so I can't give a statement as we do not have a document from the filed case (Naunang file sa CIDG ang testimony, ang affidavit sa social media usa sa piskal. So 'di ko karahimo ng statement ana kay wala kami kadawat ng dokumento na gipailan kong kaso.)," Duterte said in the video sent by his office.

According to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, the Department of Justice in Manila received the complaint on Friday, May 2.

The alleged crime was committed last February 23 at Hearsay Gastropub Bar in Davao City.

The complainant was Davao City resident and businessman Kristone John Patria.

"You may have already seen the video. It happened a long time ago. It's your decision who to vote to become congressman in the first district. (Karoon nakakita na po magvideo. Dugay dugay na nahitabo. Sige lang. Inuhagyapong desisyon kung kinsa inyong botohan sa inyong pagka congressman sa unang distrito)," Rep. Duterte said in his message to his constituents.

'DUE PROCESS AND BETTER LAWS'

Meanwhile, development worker Maria Victoria “Mags” Maglana — a candidate for representative of the city’s 1st District, called for the observance of due process, for both Rep. Duterte and for Patria, his accuser.

She also said the incident — which, allegedly involves prostitution — should lead to reviews and revisions of existing laws, adding all involved in the “commercialization of prostituted persons” should be held accountable to better laws that are implemented consistently.

“However, the issue will only be reduced to politicking, particularly in light of the coming elections, if it dies out without being resolved and the relevant laws remain unreviewed, incoherent, and poorly implemented,” she also said.

“We who are in Davao should continue to stand by our Women Development Code of Davao City (City Ordinance No. 5004), specifically Chapter II, Article I, Section 18: ‘Prostitution shall be recognized as a violation of human rights and exploitation of women who have no real choices for survival’.”