Police chief faces case in military court for ‘hitting’ ma

Saturday, January 28, 2012

A CEBU City police official will face a formal investigation before the Office for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (Moleo) for allegedly hitting a mother and her four-year-old son over a scratch on his vehicle.

Graft investigator Cynthia Maturan-Sibi forwarded to Moleo the criminal complaints for violation of Republic Act (RA) 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act; RA 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act; and Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code against Agustin Renero, chief of the Carbon Police Station in Cebu City.

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Renero allegedly hit Laila Taping Apostol’s head several times and strangled her four-year-old son.

In the complaint, Apostol said her son was playing with other kids in front of the police station on June 27, 2011.

When she went to the comfort room, Apostol said she was told that her son had scratched the Mitsubishi Adventure of Renero using a stone.

She scolded the child and even slapped his hand. Shortly, Renero approached Apostol and asked her if she was the mother of the kid.

When she said yes, the police officer allegedly hit her head and tried to strangle the boy.

The police official then dragged mother and son to the station where he allegedly hit Apostol again and pinched her son’s mouth.

Apostol said Renero also kicked them and scolded her for being a negligent mother.

When Apostol apologized, Renero allegedly got a bottled water and hit her head with it.

While waiting for her live-in partner to arrive, Apostol said she and her son were detained at the female detention cell of the Carbon Police Station for about three hours.

In the memorandum, Sibi said the complaint has to be resolved by the Moleo since Renero is a police official.