THE mother of a 14-year-old child, who was among the survivors of the Oct. 20 Sagay massacre, has filed charges against the father of her son and several police officers for insisting on using the minor as a state witness in the incident.
Vic Elisan Pedaso, the father, is facing charges for psychological abuse under Republic Act No. 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act.
Police Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto, head of the Negros Occidental provincial police, Special Police Officer 1 (SPO) Julie Ann Diaz and PO Christine Magpusaw, on the other hand, have been slapped with violation of RA No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and the Rule on Examination of Child Witness.
Lawyer Katherine A. Panguban of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Mr. Pedaso has threatened their clients to take the child into his custody and file charges against the mother.
Mr. Pedaso, on Oct. 30, filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention raps against Ms. Panguban.
“Ang malinaw pinipilit n’ya ‘yung nanay, ‘yung mag-ina na bumalik sa kanya at lumapit sa mga pulis…kahit paulit ulit na sinasabi ng kliyente namin na ayaw n’yang sumama sa kanila at gusto n’yang ilayo ‘yung bata mula doon sa schema na gustong siyang gamiting witness para sa isang hindi naman totoong naratibo ng mga pulis at ng army. (What is clear is that he (father) is forcing the mother, the mother and son, to return to his company and take them to the police… even if our clients insist that they don’t want to be with him and she wants her child away from being used as state witness for a false narrative of the police and the army),” Ms. Panguban said.
The NUPL lawyer also noted that the child could not identify the faces of those who shot at them as the area where the massacre occurred was dark.
During the police interview, Ms. Panguban said the minor was not accompanied by an authorized adult while giving his supposed testimony.
Last Oct. 20, nine sugar farmers, including two minors and four women, were shot dead by unidentified men in a hacienda in Sagay City.
Philippine National Police Director-General Oscar D. Albayalde said on Oct. 22 that “all indications suggest” that the massacre is linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, but emphasized that they are still looking at all possible angles. The military, meanwhile, said the Sagay massacre is connected to communists’ alleged destabilization plot. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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