Man faces child abuse charges

CEBU, Philippines - The city prosecutor’s office has elevated to court child abuse charges against a man who allegedly engaged in oral sex with an 11-year-old boy in Barangay Labangon in August 2009.

Prosecutor Naruzen Defin-Lorete recommended P80,000 for the accused’ temporary liberty.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the accused, as well as that of the child, owing to the sensitivity of the case.

On November 19, 2009, the minor and his mother went to the Police Station in Barangay Punta Princesa to report the alleged incident.

The boy said he was playing with his neighbor’s computer around 9pm on August 14, 2009 when the accused called him and brought him to his house. There, the accused allegedly made him sit on the floor, opened his zipper and touched his private parts. The boy said he could not move because the accused held him tight.

After the incident, the accused reportedly gave him P20 and told him not to tell anyone.

The boy said he never told anyone about what happened, but his aunt learned about it from some one else. He was prompted to tell the truth when his aunt confronted him about it. He also revealed that the accused had done the same thing to him four times before and it all happened at the same house.

The boy, however, could no longer remember the exact dates of the previous incidents.

The recent incident was subsequently reported to the police station and the boy was made to undergo a medical and psychological examination at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

In his counter affidavit, however, the accused denied the allegations and contended that the medical certificate showed nothing to prove the claims.

But in her resolution, Lorete said the complainant is given credence because human experience dictates that a minor will not fabricate events that can cause him public shame and trauma.

She said “the act of the accused of sucking the genital parts of the complainant is a scandalous and disgraceful occurrence.”

Lorete added all the defenses of the accused of denying the allegations of the victim to him are best settled in court because it involves more evidence and witnesses to prove the same. — (FREEMAN)