Mayor orders probe into minor’s beating

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has ordered an investigation into the beating of a seven-year-old boy in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

This after closed-circuit television footage making its rounds in social media showed a 24-year-old man allegedly beating up his nephew with a bamboo stick while the boy cries in a corner. A post by the boy’s guardian claims the child sustained visible bruises and wounds.

Police said the incident happened around 2 a.m. last Sunday.

Yesterday, Garcia ordered the Cebu City administrator to get in touch with the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to immediately visit the house of the victim and investigate the matter.

“Atong concern ana is ang bata g’yud, so unsa ang mga interventions nga mabuhat sa DSWS and DSWD na para psychologically we know sa effects whatsover sa bata,” said Garcia.

He also ordered local police to investigate the matter and file appropriate charges against the suspect.

As of yesterday, the man was already under the custody of the Labangon Police Station, said Patrolwoman Rhea Partosa.

She also confirmed the suspect’s arrest to Garcia during the latter’s visit to the Labangon Police Station right after the press conference. She said they are now in the process of filing charges against the suspect for violating Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

Partosa reported that the suspect said the beating happened after the victim pushed one of his children while they were playing.

“Sa iyang kaisog wa na siya nakapugong mao ‘tong nabuhat niya,” said Partosa.

Garcia reiterated that under the DSWS, Cebu City has a center for battered women and children at the Santa Rita Center for Women and Children at the South Road Properties.

“And of course we feed them, and conduct seminars, naa g’yud tay mga social workers nga naa didto nga andam g’yud mo-serve nila,” said Garcia. — (FREEMAN)