Barangay exec charged with seducing minor

A barangay official has been charged with qualified seduction in relation to child prostitution after he had sex thrice with a 14-year-old girl.

The complaint against Roderick Bautista, 37, married and chair of Barangay 272 in Binondo, Manila, was filed  by the girl’s mother in the Manila Regional Trial Court last Friday.

In a sworn statement, the girl said that the suspect whom she called “Kuya Odeck” has been her boyfriend since July 4.

She added that since then, they have had sex thrice and on one occasion, Bautista gave her P300 to pay for a hotel room and P750 for herself.

The mother said she learned of her daughter’s relationship with the barangay official after her son saw the victim leaving a hotel in Sta. Cruz.

She called a social worker who asked the police for help, leading to Bautista’s arrest on Aug. 21. His bail was set at P200,000. Erika Sauler