Man charged with child abuse
By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:20:00 11/18/2008
Filed Under: Children, Crime
MANILA, Philippines—A 32-year-old neighborhood toughie accused of manhandling a nine-year-old boy two weeks ago was charged Tuesday at the Manila regional trial court.
Roderick Sugui, alias Eric Baho, a resident of Amarlanhagui Street, Tondo, was charged with violation of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
Sugui was arrested on November 4 by Manila policemen following the complaint of a neighbor, a grade three pupil at the Yangco Elementary School, who claimed he was physically abused and humiliated by the accused.
Accompanied by his mother to the police station, the victim told investigators that Sugui and his group of toughies have been known to habitually harass and make fun of people in the neighborhood.
The victim claimed that on the morning of November 4, while he was on his way to do an errand for his grandmother, the accused shouted, calling him "dokleng, mongoloid, sira ulo, baliw (cross-eyed, mongoloid, lunatic, crazy)."
The boy added that he tried to ignore the accused and continued walking, but Sugui and his group ganged up on him and pulled down the victim’s shorts.
The victim said that while he was struggling to keep his shorts on, Sugui cuffed him thrice on the head and kicked him on the thigh.
Assistant City Prosecutor Winne Edad, who filed the information in court, set the bail at P80.000.
Child abuse is punishable by imprisonment in the Philippines.
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