Neighbor arrested for beating autistic teen

MANILA, Philippines - A man was arrested on Thursday afternoon for allegedly beating up his neighbor, an autistic teenager, in 2012, officials said yesterday.

Nestor Ramos was arrested in Barangay Pasong Tamo after being indicted in court by the city prosecutor for child abuse, said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Senior Superintendent Richard Albano.

Two of Ramos’ relatives – Cardo Ramos and his son, Rogelio – are wanted for the same offense, said Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo, head of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

Marcelo said the three have pending arrest warrants issued by Judge Ma. Lourdes Giron of the Regional Trial Court Branch 102 dated June 24.

In a resolution dated April 23, Assistant City Prosecutor Raul Gonzalez noted that while the victim was already 18 at the time of the alleged beating on July 19, 2012, he had been diagnosed to be suffering from autism, and thus, “may still be considered a minor under Section 3(a) of Republic Act 7610.”

Ramos claimed that a “thief” had gone into their house. Rogelio and Cardo, both barangay volunteers, arrived and found him barring a door to a room from which the boy was trying to get out.

He claimed the ones who punched the boy were his neighbors. The three men presented a witness, saying they tied the hands of the boy to calm him down.

The city prosecutor, however, said the claim made by the three men that their neighbors – none of whom were identified – were the ones who hurt the boy “constitutes nothing more than a bare denial” compared to the claims of the victim’s mother and her witness, who stated they saw the three men beating up the boy while his hands were tied.

The city prosecutor also noted that based on the medico-legal report, the injuries inflicted on the victim “were clearly meant to debase and degrade the dignity” of the boy.