‘Radio block timer’, arrested for psychological abuse of a minor, plans to file countercase against accuser

Map of Dalaguete | via Google Maps

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 39-year-old “radio block timer”, who was arrested after he was accused of pschological abuse of an 11-year-old child, plans to file a countercase against his accuser.

Leonard Asuque of Dalaguete town, who was currently detained at the Dalaguete Police Station, said he would post bail for his case accusing him of psychological abuse in relation to RA 7610 of an 11-year-old child.

Republic Act (RA) 7610 is the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Asuque said that P80,000 was set for his bail on Monday, September 6.

Then he said he would file a countercase against his accuser, but he would still consult with his lawyer on this.

Asuque, who is block timer of a radio station based in Cebu City, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 3, after he was served a warrant of arrest in his residence in Barangay Casay, Dalaguete town in southern Cebu.

Judge Noel Darren C. Damian, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court 7, Branch 26, in Argao town in southern Cebu issued the warrant of arrest against Asuque on Friday, September 3, for a case accusing Asuque of violation of Section 10 of RA 7610 or phychological abuse in relation to RA 7610.

Asuque, said in an interview with a dyLA reporter on Saturday, that the case stemmed from a property dispute that he had with the mother of the child.

“Away sa yuta. Kanang nag file og kaso, gipapuyo na namo sa yuta sa akoang tita kay ako man gud ang administrator sa iyang yuta. Papahawaun naman gud sila gud. Dili sila manghawa kay magpabayad sila og P2 million sa damages sa ilang pagpuyo isip caretaker,” Asuque said.

(This is a property disagreement. The one who filed the case was a neighbor, who lived in the property owned by my Tita because I am an administrator of the property. They would not vacate the area unless we pay them P2 million for damages in their being a caretaker of the property.)

According to the complaint filed at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, the alleged psychological abuse happened on March 10, 2021.

A video of the incident was posted online on March 11, 2021.

The 11-year-old complainant in his complaint said that he saw people putting padlocks at the windows of their house.

Later, Asuque arrived and since the doors were locked, he forcibly entered the house through the window, and then confronted the mother of the child.

He allegedly wanted the mother and his child to leave the house because somebody would allegedly live there.

There was a commotion as Asuque allegedly tried to push the mother and the child outside so Asuque could lock the door of the house.

The complainant said that because of this he was really scared and he almost fainted due to fear.

Asuque later calmed down when one of the barangay tanods was allowed to enter the house and Asuque later left the house.

The Provincial Prosecutor found probable cause to indict Asuque for the violation. 

The prosecutor said that the trauma was not merely evident upon assessment of the cellphone footage but the psychological evaluation conducted by Psychologist Rosemarie Gonato stated in her report that minor complainant exhibited ‘significant trauma indicators.’

/dbs