3-year-old complaint sends ‘child abuser’ to jail

A 63-year-old man who had been issued a warrant of arrest for a child abuse complaint was arrested in San Juan City on Tuesday night, more than three years after the alleged crime took place.

A report to Senior Supt. Joselito Daniel, the city’s chief of police, identified the suspect as Ricardo Boneo, who also goes by the aliases Robert Boneo and “Lolo” Ding.

Daniel said Boneo was apprehended in his house on San Roque St. in Barangay Corazon de Jesus at 11:25 p.m.

The arrest warrant was issued on Jan. 13, 2012, by Judge Pabel D. Sulit of San Juan Regional Trial Court Branch 16  .

Child abuse charges had been filed against the suspect on March 30, 2011, by the alleged victim, his then-11-year-old neighbor, and the boy’s family.

Daniel said the filing of the  charges stemmed from an incident eight days earlier, where Boneo allegedly slapped the boy on his right cheek.

Daniel said the slapping incident came about after the then-11-year-old boy “unintentionally” kicked Boneo’s grandson Joshua in the face while they were playing in a jeepney.

The unintentional hit made the lower lip of Boneo’s grandson bleed, Daniel said.

Boneo is temporarily detained at the San Juan City Police headquarters.

Bail was set at P160,000.