Sara Duterte to press raps for tot’s death

DAVAO CITY—Mayor Sara Duterte on Friday said she will hire a private prosecutor to pursue charges against the main suspect in the death of 3-year-old Kean Gabriel Agustin on Wednesday as well as others who did nothing to stop the brutality.

Duterte made the announcement during a visit to the boy’s wake.

Based on its investigation, the Talomo police said the boy died when his stepfather, Sonny Boy Mendoza, forced him into an empty sack and hung him for hours inside their shanty in Matina Pangi on Wednesday.

Supt. Grecel Sagpang, the Talomo police station commander, said the sack fell to the ground several times but instead of taking pity on the boy, the 22-year old Mendoza sat on him.

‘Begging’

Sagpang said the boy’s mother, Grace Agustin, did not do anything to stop Mendoza even when the boy was repeatedly begging them to stop the torment.

The couple brought the boy to the barangay health center only when he was no longer moving.

Investigators said the couple told health workers the boy had drowned.

The couple also approached village chair Carmelo Arena for assistance but when somebody told him of the boy’s ordeal, Arena had them arrested.

At the Talomo police station, Mendoza said he was punishing the boy for misbehavior and admitted that it was not the first time he had put him inside an empty sack.