Man nabbed for burning girl's thigh

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested a drunken man for making fun of an eight-year-old blind girl and reportedly burned her thigh with a gas lamp Monday in Navotas City.

Wilfredo Balagtas, 28, a resident of Barangay Daang-Hari, is now facing charges of child abuse with slight physical injuries before the office of Navotas City prosecutor Kristin Ayn Monsalud.

A bail of P80,000 was recommended for his temporary freedom.

Boy San Buenaventura, 58, uncle of the victim Zayraa Ponze, said that the incident occurred at the house of the suspect, the victim’s neighbor, at around 11 a.m. San Buenaventura said that Balagtas was having a drinking bout with an unidentified companion when he called on the girl and enticed her to come to his house to play magic with him. But instead of playing magic, the intoxicated suspect lighted an improvised gas lamp and allegedly started burning the girl’s thigh.

“The suspect made fun of my blind and hapless niece. He has no compassion, he repeatedly burned her left thigh,” San Buenaventura told The STAR.

San Buenaventura said that the suspect only stopped his “foolish act” when his drinking buddy intervened.

He said that the girl’s mother Evangeline, 40, a widow, was in the market trying to earn a living as a vendor during the incident. Evangeline learned of her daughter’s ordeal when she returned home in the afternoon. She sought the help of PO1 Marlon Naelgas and PO1 Allan Joey Ogatia resulting in Balagtas’ arrest.

“My niece is very familiar with the suspect’s voice that’s why she was able to immediately identify him. He is now trying to settle his case out of court but the mother refused. What she wants is justice for her child,” San Buenaventura said.