Man charged for pouring water on sleeping tot

CEBU, Philippines – A man is now facing a criminal complaint of slight physical injuries for pouring a pail of water on a sleeping one-year-old child in Sitio Kalubihan, Upper Calajoan, Minglanilla last week.

Alioser Orjaleza, 44, a resident of the place, was charged before the Regional Trial Court after it was established that he had an "intention to inflict physical harm and violence against the child."

Mary Anne Cartalaba, 21, said in her affidavit that on October 4, at around 4 p.m., she brought her son at the nearby shanty to rest on a bamboo bench.

Cartalaba said she cuddled the child until he falls asleep and placed him on the bench. However, moments later, Orjaleza, who was allegedly intoxicated, arrived and told the complainant to leave but she allegedly did not heed the accused as her son was sleeping.

This allegedly irked the accused who warned Cartalaba to leave the place or he will get a pail of water and douse it at her, which she ignored.

But she was later surprised when the accused came back later and made true of his earlier threat.

"I was shocked when Orjaleza splash a pail of water to my son who's still asleep and I was terrified as the mother when my son holds his breath and he was almost drowned because the water entered into his mouth and nose," Cartalaba said.

After the incident, the complainant said she immediately held her son and sucked the water from his nose to save him from danger. She added that after the incident, her son became sick and is always crying.

Cartalaba reported the incident to the Mingllanilla Police Station to ask for assistance.

SPO1 Florante Capangpangan, who responded to the place, confirmed through some bystanders the statement of Cartalaba.

Capangpangan and his colleagues then proceeded to the house of Orjaleza and arrested him.

Meanwhile, Cartalaba has filed a complaint of child abuse against Orjaleza but Maria Luisa Ong, inquest officer, dismissed the child abuse case and instead elevated to court the slight physical injuries case against the accused.

"Medical reports revealed that there was no evidence of significant injury on the child in relation to the incident. Thus, there is no basis to find any psychological abuse support the charge of child abuse under RA 7610," Ong explained. (FREEMAN)