Manila village chief: Teen ‘twisted’ facts

MANILA, Philippines — A barangay chairman accused of beating up a 16-year-old boy denied the allegations against him, claiming the victim and his friends made “twisted” statements.

Barangay 350, Zone 35 Felipe Falcon Jr., 38, denied that he was drunk, contrary to the allegations of the boy’s friends. He also denied having hit the boy with a dry seal or a belt buckle and throwing his cell phone at him.

“Kapag naaalala ko, nanggigigil ako. Tapos pagdating sa iba, biglang twisted ang facts (When I remember the allegations, I become furious. When news of the incident reached others, the facts were twisted),” he said.

Falcon also refuted the claim by the boy’s friends that he bumped his chest against the boy’s when he wanted to introduce himself to the teenager, who apparently mistook him for a barangay councilor.

The boy claimed he went to the barangay hall to give the cell phone to one of his friends, who had been detained.

He also belied earlier reports that he sent surrender feelers to authorities as he “did not have any direct contact” with Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who ordered his arrest.

The boy’s family has filed a complaint of physical injury in relation the anti-child abuse law with the Manila Police District’s women and children protection desk.

Falcon filed charges of unjust vexation, slander by deed, direct assault and physical injury against the boy before the Manila prosecutor last Tuesday.

He said he will only show up when compelled by a judicial order.

Airing his side

In his affidavit, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, Falcon said while barangay watchmen were questioning three minors – two boys and a girl – apprehended for violating curfew on Nov. 3, the teenager suddenly entered the barangay hall and gave something to one of the minors.

He asked the teenager who he was and why he was there, but the teenager only smirked.

Falcon, thinking the teenager was high on drugs, ordered the watchmen to frisk him. The official said the teenager suddenly lunged at him and punched him in the face three times.

Falcon said he fell to the floor. He said he could not see clearly since his eyeglasses were thrown off by the teenager’s punches. 

Men in the barangay hall came to Falcon’s aid and attacked the teenager, but the village chief said he shouted at them to stop.

He said he was sure the men who came to his rescue were not the barangay’s watchmen since they were not in uniform.

Falcon said two police officers and a man who introduced himself as the teenager’s father came to the teenager’s rescue.

Falcon said he advised the father to take his son to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center to undergo a medicolegal examination.

The result of a medicolegal examination on Falcon, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, showed he sustained a contusion on his jaw and multiple abrasions on his left arm.

Falcon said he should have been tested for intoxication to disprove the teenager’s claim.