Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Tuesday ordered the arrest of a barangay chairman and some of his kagawads for mauling a 16-year-old student who erroneously called the suspect “kagawad” or just a councilor.
Estrada also urged the victim’s family to file criminal charges against the suspect, identified as barangay captain Felipe Falcon, Jr. of Barangay 350 in Tondo so that he would be removed from his position.
The Manila chief executive likewise instructed the City Legal Office to extend legal assistance to the Grade 9 student, who sustained injuries after Falcon and some of his councilors mauled the victim when he addressed him as “kagawad” instead of “kapitan.”
Falcon, who was reportedly drunk, hit the young victim with a steel bar with the help of his councilors, according to the police report.
The mayor has directed Manila Police District Director Chief Supt. Rolando Anduyan to go after Falcon to force the village chief and the councilors to answer the charges against them.
According to the police, the victim’s father has already filed a complaint at MPD headquarters right after the incident.
Estrada assured that justice would be given to the victim, as he warned local officials not to abuse their position and instead extend help to their respective constituents.
The victim claimed that Falcon smelled of alcohol upon approaching him outside the barangay hall office to ask what was he doing there.
The teenager said he only dropped by to give the cellphone of another detained friend.
The barangay captain then asked if the victim knew him, which the latter answered “no.” Falcon then told him to get back inside.
There, the official allegedly slapped the victim on the left side of his face with a cellphone and hit the right side of his right face with a dry sealer.
The victim punched back at Falcon to defend himself but afterward said people inside the barangay hall ganged up on him.
The teenager said Falcon then wore a four-finger metal knuckle and struck it on his head. When he saw that no one was at the door, the young man tried to escape but failed.
He said this made Falcon angrier, whipping him with a belt until its buckle broke.
The victim said he appealed to the barangay captain to stop hitting him. Moments later, his father arrived and brought him to Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center for treatment.