Two fathers arrested for mauling sons

CEBU, Philippines - A Belgian stepfather and a father were arrested for allegedly mauling their sons in separate incidents in the town of Pinamungajan and Naga City Tuesday.

In Naga City, police arrested a 36-year-old father inside their house past 2:00 in the afternoon  after he reportedly hit the boy with a branch of a Tamarind tree. The father reportedly got angry upon seeing his son playing at the river in their place.

PO2 Cristina Recaña, Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk officer, said that the father once told the boy to stay in the house and never go near the river.

“Sige og uwan-uwan unya nahadlok ang amahan kay daghan nang balita sa anod-anod sa sapa, (It kept raining and the father was worried over reports of people being washed away in some rivers),” Recaña said in a phone interview.

When the father was heading to the piggery where he worked as a caretaker, he saw the boy at the river.

Upon seeing his father, the boy ran home as fast as he could but his father followed him and hit him with the branch, causing bruises to the boy.

The father was arrested and detained but was released yesterday morning after the complainant refused to file charges against his father.

Two hours later, a 16-year-old boy suffered injuries in his head and right leg after he was mauled by his 51-year-old stepfather, a Belgian national, inside their rented house in Barangay Pandacan, Pinamungajan.

The boy reportedly arrived home past 4:30 pm when his stepfather stopped him from entering the house as the suspect and the boy’s mother had a heated altercation.

PO1April Lobiano, Women and Children’s Protection Desk officer, however, did not give details on the couple’s conflict.

The stepfather reportedly included the boy in the verbal tussle which started the duo’s confrontation that irked the suspect who hit the boy twice.

“Nipugos man gud og sulod sa balay ang biktima unya naapil siya sa away maong nasukmagan, (The entered the house and became involved in the argument. He was then punched),” Lobiano said in a phone interview.

Police arrested the stepfather who was  detained in the stockade but was released the same day after the complainant refused to file charges. — (FREEMAN)