Mentally ill man rescued

CEBU, Philippines - After being tied for 12 years, an alleged mentally ill man was rescued by the Argao police together with the TV5 team and personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Barangay Capio-an, Argao town yesterday.

Bado Relatado, 64, allegedly tied the right foot of his son, Nestor Relatado, 36, for safety reasons because he was reportedly suffering from a mental illness.

Nestor was taken to the psychiatric ward of the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for medical examination.

Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, Argao police chief, said Nestor was placed inside a shanty adjacent to their house with his right foot tied using a chain. He reportedly eats all by himself during meal time.

Batobalonos said there were times that Nestor would suddenly get a scythe and run after their neighbors prompting his Bado to tie him up and put him inside the shanty.

Nestor was rescued after his younger sister, Amy Relatado, sought help from her friend in TV5 in Manila to get her brother from their father’s custody.

TV5-Manila informed their Cebu office who then coordinated with the Argao Police Station.

Batobalonos said Amy wanted Nestor to be taken to a doctor for a check up but their father refused the idea.

Their father, Bado, is reportedly a quack doctor in their barangay and he believes that he could cure his son.

Batobalonos said Nestor was stricken with typhoid fever when he was twenty-four. He was reportedly cured but he no longer acted like he did before.

“Human kuno sa iyang sakit mura na kuno og nalain. Paminaw nila didto gasugod, (After he got sick, they said he seemed different. They believed that was where it started.)” the police chief said.

Flordeliza Botero, Social Worker Officer III in Argao, said they cannot file charges against Bado because he only tied up his son for safekeeping.

“Dili man sa ingon nga gipasipad-an niya kung di for safekeeping reason man,(It’s not as if he is abusing his son. It’s for safekeeping.) ” she told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Botero said they can provide medical assistance to Nestor but since they only have limited resources, they need to tap other concerned institutions and government agencies for help.  (FREEMAN)