4-year-old boy sues pa for maltreating sister

CEBU – A four-year-old boy from Barili town wants his father jailed for allegedly maltreating his one-year-old sister. Assisted by his grandmother, John Catamin went to the town police station last November 5 to report the incident and file a criminal complaint against his father, Eduardo.

John claimed that his father physically abused his younger sister by pinching her and squeezing pepper into her mouth and eyes. The incident allegedly happened inside their house in barangay Campangga on October 27 at around 3 p.m.

The boy said their father got irked when the victim did not listen to him.

“Iyang sige badlong si inday… unya dili mopatoo maong nasuko si papa,” John told the police.

Eduardo reportedly pinched the girl in the different parts of her body, including her private parts. Still not contented, the suspect allegedly squeezed pepper into the eyes and mouth of the victim causing her to lose consciousness.

The girl was brought to the Barili District Hospital for treatment of her injuries but was referred to the town’s rural health unit. She was later brought to the Women and Children Friendly Center at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

When asked why he went to the police station, John said he wanted to put his father in prison.

“Akong ipapriso akong papa nga nagbun-og sa akong manghod nga babaye,” he said.

Last Friday, the police filed a criminal complaint for physical injuries in relation to Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as the Child Abuse Law against Eduardo before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors’ Office. — Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)