After lies were unraveled: Man and boy flee hospital

What hospital personnel suspected was true - it was a ploy to get the sympathy of well-meaning people to gain financially from the story of abuse told by a man on how his wife maltreated their six-year old son.

The man, who claimed to be a certain Roy Pareja, Sr., told a very sad tale of abuse and deception that easily melted the hearts of many individuals including members of the media, who told his story to the public.

When he realized that the hospital staff already suspected something, he reportedly fled from the hospital at dawn yesterday taking with him the boy, who was still being treated for mild tetanus infection, the financial assistance given to them, and bags of groceries donated by well-meaning people.

It was later learned from the Danao City Police that the real name of the man is Joselito Taroja a resident of barangay Bagalnga, Compostela and not of Lawaan, Danao City as he claimed.

Eleodoro "Nonoy" Mongaya, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) media liaison officer, said that they are worried about the patient.

Mongaya said the boy has not completed the needed shots of anti-tetanus. "Peligro gyud ang bata," (the child is in danger) Mongaya told The Freeman.

According to Mongaya, based on their initial evaluation, the other injuries of the boy may have been deformities from birth especially the deformity of his left arm, which Taroja claimed to have been twisted by the boy's mother, a certain Juvelyn.

Mongaya said that the injury on the hips might have been inflicted by Taroja to get sympathy from the public. Although, he said they could not determine yet whether it was done recently because the orthopedics department is still studying x-ray results.

Mongaya said that Taroja captured the heart of the public by his story because there were several individuals who personally went to the hospital the other day to give their financial assistance.

Mongaya said there were about 18 people who went to the hospital, including a foreigner.

According to Mongaya, Taroja got the chance to escape when the guard, detailed to keep watch over them, was called to the morgue because he was the one holding the key.

Mongaya said, they had Taroja arrested three years ago and the man was detained at the Fuente Police Station for swindling. Taroja's alleged modus before was to solicit financial assistance using a fake prescription for a supposed patient confined at the VSMMC.

Mongaya said that Taroja did not have a patient before and only used the prescription, but this time he did one better - he brought with him the boy.

Danao City Police chief Larson Dechino said that Taroja has been arrested several times and detained at their station for theft and swindling, but was released because the complainants did not pursue the case.

Police records also showed that Taroja was arrested last November 12, 2002 for illegal possession of firearm and released after he posted bail.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will still have to look into the case and check whether the accusations made by Taroja against his wife are true.

DSWD Crisis Intervention Unit Social Welfare Officer Vilma Cosido said that they will look into the matter even if these stories were just made up.

"We will try to check if unsa ni katinuod ang istorya. As far as we knew, the father fled from the hospital but we will look into the matter. We may file a case against the one who had inflicted it (the injuries) to the child," Cosido said.

Cosido said that they have asked Taroja if he needed medicine for his son, but the latter said that they have already received assistance from 5th district Congressman Red Durano.

"This is really a delicate matter because there are different stories told, we will check the real side of this," Cosido said.

Taroja related how his son was whipped using a piece of wood and how the boy's mother allegedly drove a nail into his head when the six-year old pleaded for the woman not to leave them and go with her paramour.

Taroja reportedly received donations from various sources.

Many charitable foundations are helping indigent patients get medical treatment by providing money or medicine that would be used for the treatment of the patient.

There are procedures that are taken to ensure that the story is not something that was just cooked up to milk the institution.

In the case of The Freeman Foundation, administrator Dr. Remedios Bacasmas said that they usually ask for a medical abstract from the attending physician if the recipient is confined in a hospital.

"If he or she is not confined the guardian must bring the patient in our office for us to check whether they are telling the truth," Bacasmas said.

On top of the medical abstract, Bacasmas said that the recipient should also provide a case study coming from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Bacasmas said that they always give their assistance in goods and if it is given in cash, it will usually be handed to the hospital and not to the patient or its guardian. - with Jose P. Sollano, Norvie S. Misa and Jasmin R. Uy