Cops rescue boy chained to electric post

MANILA, Philippines - Police rescued a seven-year-old boy chained to an electric post by his grandmother in Barangay Longos, Malabon City Sunday.

The victim, a grade two pupil, had a long iron chain more than five feet long looped around his body and secured by a padlock when police found him at around 10 a.m., following a call by a concerned citizen.

Senior Police Officer 1 Rolando Tagulao and Police Officer 1 Jesus Isip Jr. came to the child’s rescue and arrested his 49-year-old grandmother, identified only as Lucy.

Tagulao said the boy’s parents, who are both working abroad, left him with his grandmother. The boy’s father is a foreign national.

“According to the grandmother she chained the boy… to discipline him,” Tagulao told The STAR.

He said Lucy sent her grandson to a bakery to buy pan de sal for breakfast but the child failed to return after more than an hour.

Lucy looked for the boy and found him playing games at a computer shop. “The money intended for the pan de sal went to a computer game, which really (angered) the boy’s grandma,” Tagulao said.

This prompted Lucy to tie her grandchild to an electric post near their house. “That form of discipline was inappropriate,” Tagulao said.

The local social welfare department took custody of the boy while the police were set to file charges of child abuse and serious illegal detention against the grandmother. – Pete Laude