CH worker arrested for "molesting" girl

CEBU, Philippines - An employee of the Cebu City Government was arrested the other day for allegedly molesting the eight-year-old daughter of his co-worker at the city’s Market Operations Division.

   The 47-year-old suspect is now detained at the Waterfront Police Station, but The FREEMAN is withholding his name pending the filing of official charges against him.

   Police said the child was crying when she reported the recent incident to Market Administrator Raquel Arce midday last Tuesday. The girl reportedly started crying when she noticed blood on her underwear.

   The child and her younger brother were left with the suspect at the Market Operations Division Office while their mother was attending a meeting at that time. The office is located at the old building at the back of City Hall’s executive building.

   Sought for comment, the suspect said he might just have accidentally hit the child’s private part, which caused the bleeding, but initial investigation conducted by the women’s desk revealed the girl might have experienced the abuse for the past three years.

   The girl is an incoming grade four pupil.

   “Dugay na ning gihimo sa maong tawhana unya bisan magpalayo ang bata iya jud ning duolon unya taga-tagaan og kwarta ug dili makaon,” said Chief Insp. Aureo Sanchez, chief of the Waterfront Police.

   Sanchez said the child reportedly told the investigator at the women’s desk that the suspect intentionally inserted his finger into her private part.

   The suspect, for his part, questioned why his co-worker always brought her children to the office, considering that the two were reportedly always noisy.

   He also claimed that Arce might have a grudge on him.

   “Ambot lang uy pero tan-aw nako basin duna syay personal grudge nako,” he said.

   The suspect has served the Market Operations Divisions Office for the 14 years. This is the first time that he has been accused of such charges.

Sanchez said the charges against the suspect would depend on the outcome of the medical examination conducted by the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center on the child.  (FREEMAN NEWS)