Friday, November 14, 2008 Pa of child abused by PAF men won't push case By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
THE father of the six-year-old child allegedly abused by two members of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) after they caught him playing inside the PAF compound in Sasa, Davao City is no longer interested to pursue the case.
In an affidavit of desistance, the father said he is not pursuing the case against the two PAF personnel "because my son's injury was completely healed and proper physical and psychological care were already extended to him."
Manuel Doria and Rex Del Dimaculangan of the Tactical Operations Group were charged with physical injuries under Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection for Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination) based on the complaint of the victim's father, a civilian employee of the Tactical Operations Group 11.
In an affidavit, the father of the victim said he was still at the PAF compound around 8:30 p.m. on July 8 when he heard his son's cry.
Looking around, he saw his son near two men whom he later identified as the accused.
He rushed to his son's side and noticed that the suspects, who have just alighted from a taxi, were drunk.
They could hardly keep their balance, he said in an affidavit complaint.
The two men just stared at him when he asked what happened.
The boy did not also say anything and so he just told his son to go home.
It was only in the evening of the following night at his brother's house when they discovered the injuries on the boy's abdomen.
When asked, the boy said he was burned with cigarettes by the two men.
He said his immediate response was to report the incident to the police, but he was advised to wait for the men's commanding officer.
The victim's father said they reported the incident to the police after they were able to get a medico-legal report on his son's injuries.
In July 14, he said his son pointed to those who hurt him during the flag-raising ceremony at the compound.
