Grandma faces child abuse charges

A GRANDMOTHER is facing child abuse charges in court after her daughter complained that she had deprived her two grandchildren of food, clothing and a school allowance.

Prosecutors filed the case in the family court yesterday against the grandmother.

It stemmed from a complaint filed by Jennifer Orlanes against her mother Carisa Virtualla, a real estate agent.

Bail was recommended at P24,000.

Orlanes accused her mother of committing acts of child abuse, cruelty and exploitation of her minor grandchildren by spending the money sent by Orlanes’ husband to pay the grandmother’s debts.

The mother accused Virtualla of secretly receiving the money sent by her husband working overseas and using the money to pay her debts.

Orlanes said the money could have been spent on her children’s schooling, food, clothing and basic needs.

Orlanes said her husband who worked in Kuwait as waiter since 2001 had been sending money to them regularly until 2004, afterwhich the money sent became sporadic.

Relations between the spouses became strained until the husband sent an e-mail saying he didn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore: “You are on your own and do not mind to whom I send the money.”

She said she found out that her mother made up stories about her having an illicit affair.

She said she found out that her husband sent money secretly to her mother. She said this was money that could have been spent for their two children but was instead spent to pay for her mother’s debts.

The grandmother, in her defense, denied that she used the monry to pay her debts.

There was no controverting evidence filed by the husband so “it is the word of the complainant against that of her mother” said prosecutors.

Prosecutors said the case was best left to be threshed out in a full-blown court trial. /UC Intern Jestine Marie D. Lerit