Man arrested for molesting child "It still hurts."

CEBU, Philippines - This was what an eight-year-old girl told reporters in Cebuano yesterday, a day after her 65-year-old neighbor she fondly calls “tatay” (father) allegedly molested her last Sunday night.

The incident allegedly happened around 7pm at the suspect’s house in sitio Cabancalan 1, Barangay Bulacao-Pardo.

The child’s mother told The FREEMAN she was preparing dinner at that time when she realized that her daughter was missing. She then asked her 15-year-old son to look for the girl. A few minutes later, her son returned with the girl and said that his sister had been sexually harassed by their neighbor Isaac Penales.

The boy said she found his sister beside Penales’ bed. It was reportedly no less than Penales’ wife who told the boy what happened.

“Dong ang imong manghod gi-hiram ang atobangan (Boy, your sister’s private part was touched),” the mother quoted Penales’ wife saying, as narrated by the boy.

Penales alleged inserted a finger into the girl’s private part.

Shocked, the child’s mother told her husband what happened and it was the father who sought help from the barangay.

Penales was arrested through a citizen’s arrest.

Physicians at the Vi-cente Sotto Memorial Medical Center found fresh lacerations on the child’s private part. The lacerations reportedly suggested that the child had experienced sexual activity recently.

Not the first?

The child’s mother said the incident Sunday was not the first time Penales had molested her daughter. The first time reportedly happened last year.

Penales admitted that the girl was beside him when he was awakened by his wife who was furious at that time. He, however, denied molesting the girl.

He also admitted being drunk at that time since he was drinking with a friend starting in the morning until 6pm.

“Hubog kaayo ko. Wala gyu’d ko kahibalo kun unsa ang nahitabo,” he said.

Penales is currently detained at the Pardo Police Station while awaiting the filing of formal charges against him.

Investigators are preparing charges for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act against the suspect.  (FREEMAN)