‘Disobedient’ daughter, 11, chained

ILOILO CITY — Police rescued an 11-year-old girl who was chained to a bed by her father Friday afternoon for disobeying his order not to leave the house.

The police identified the suspect as Tarcilo Dela Torre, 60, and a kiosk owner in Barangay Osmeña, Quezon St., here.

The kiosk which is located at one of the sidewalks in downtown proper of the city, is also considered by Dela Torre family as their residence.

According to the victim, her father tied her with a four-meter long chain with two padlocks on both feet into a bamboo bed inside their kiosk Friday around 2:45 p.m. after she disobeyed his order not to leave the house.

Wilfredo Cortel, a neighbor, said he heard someone crying at the other side of the wall. When he went to investigate, he saw Inday (not her real name) chained to a bamboo bed inside their rented kiosk.

Everyone who passed in the kiosk can see Inday chained to the bed and crying, Cortel said.

The bed is located inside a kiosk and can bee seen by people passing along the sidewalks.

When he confronted Dela Torre, the suspect told him to mind his own business. This forced Cortel to call the Children’s and Women’s desk of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) under Insp. Erna Foester.

When policemen responded to the scene including Foester and SPO3 Nathaniel Ore, the victim was still chained to the bamboo bed.

According to Foester, two policemen from the Police Precinct 1 (PP1) responded to the call of Cortel first. After they saw the condition of the victim, they cordoned the suspect and requested the assistance of Foester, who is also a child advocate.

The victim, who has stopped schooling because of lack of money, told The STAR it was the second time she experienced of being chained to a bed by her father.

The victim said she is willing to send her father to jail for what he has done to her and her older sister who is nowhere to be found.

Police said the older sister of the victim was sexually abused by her father, which was why she ran away.

The suspect on the other hand said, asserted that chaining was only a means of disciplining to his children.

The suspect is now detained at the PP1.

Foester said, they would file case of violation of RA 7610 (Special Protection of Filipino Children Against Exploitation) on Monday.

The victim is now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.