Mom of Sagay survivor sues cops, former partner

Farmers and relatives inspect the makeshift shelter at a sugarcane plantation in Sagay City, where nine farmers died following an attack by armed men on Oct. 20, 2018. (Photo by BRYAN MORDEN)

MANILA, Philippines — The mother of the 14-year-old survivor of the Sagay massacre last October filed criminal complaints on Tuesday at the Department of Justice against her former partner and members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

READ: 9 sugarcane workers gunned down in Negros Occidental

In one complaint, the mother accused her former partner of psychological abuse.

The mother — whose name was withheld to protect her minor son — made the accusation through her counsels from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).

She said her former partner violated the Violence Against Women and Children Act, or Republic Act No. 9262.

In another complaint, she also accused three police officers of violating the Anti-Child Abuse Law (Republic Act No. 7610) and the Rule on Examination of a Child Witness (Administrative Matter No. 004-07-Supreme Court, Nov. 21, 2000)

She identified the officers as Chief Insp. Robert Mansueto, chief of the Sagay City Police Station; SPO1 Julia Ann Diaz, and PO1 Christine Mapusaw.

According to this complaint, she and her son had been receiving threats from the respondents.

“Complainant and her son have experienced threats from respondents, including the filing of trumped-up charges in Sagay City against one of the complainant’s counsels. Thus, they sought refuge in Manila,” the complaint said.

She added that one of her counsels had been also been slapped with a criminal complaint.

The complainant was a survivor of the massacre of nine sugarcane farmers Sagay City, Negros Occidental. /atm