MANILA, Philippines--The Antipolo police are set to file a complaint for physical injuries against the son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and five of his golfing companions on charges that they mauled a 14-year-old boy and his father at a golf course last Friday.
Insp. Maria Luisa Pedrosa, chief of the Antipolo police women and children's desk, said on Sunday they would file the complaint as soon as a prosecutor was available to handle the case, which could be as early as Monday or as late as after the holiday break.
Facing possible charges of physical injuries in relation to Republic Act 7610, or the child abuse law, are Nasser Pangandaman Jr.; mayor of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, Faisal Abdula; Mohammad Hussein; Adnan Pacasum; Rene Maglanque; and Arnel Estacio.
But the initial list of respondents provided by Pedrosa contained factual and spelling errors, which a close family member of the alleged victim Delfin De la Paz said should be rectified before it was filed.
For instance, Nasser Jr. was identified as "Angel Pangandaman," who is actually the eight-year-old grandson of the DAR secretary, while the man identified as "Mohammad Hussein" could refer to Hussein Pangandaman, Nasser Jr.'s brother, who also figured in the fight.
De La Paz accused the group of the younger Pangandaman of mauling him and his teenage son after a fight over the use of the golf course at Valley Golf and Country Club.
Pedrosa said that the complaint of De La Paz and his son Bino would suffice for the meantime, adding that they had not yet interviewed the respondents and other eyewitnesses to the incident, including officials of Valley Golf.
"Right now it's not necessary because we already have the statement of the complainants who are also witnesses," she said in a phone interview.
Reacting to a statement by the DAR secretary that they would file counter charges, Pedrosa said the camp of the Pangandamans was more than welcome to file its own complaint with her desk.
"They should also file it here because we have jurisdiction over the case. It would be charge-counter charge, which is typical for cases like this," she said.