By Ritchie A Horario /Manila
The Pasay City Prosecutors’ Office on Friday dismissed complaints of physical injuries and child abuse filed against veteran columnist Ramon Tulfo.
The cases against Tulfo, filed by showbiz couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barreto stemmed from a scuffle at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in May 2012.
In a four-page resolution, Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Manuel Loteyro said there is no sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of the cases against the columnist.
Loteyro said that Tulfo could not be charged of child abuse, since he did not hurt any of the couple’s children who were present during the incident.
Barreto filed the child abuse case against the columnist saying that her children were greatly traumatised after witnessing the incident.
But Loteyro explained that under Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, a person could only be charged of child abuse if he or she is involved in either physical or psychological abuse of children.
The prosecutor also debunked the accusations of the couple that they were hurt by Tulfo when they asked the latter why they were being photographed.
He said that it is impossible for a senior citizen like Tulfo to hurt the couple. Pasay City Prosecutor Theresa Purzuelo earlier dismissed the physical injury, grave coercion and defamation cases filed by Tulfo against Barreto.
However, Purzuelo recommended the filing of a physical injury case against Santiago together with his companion identified as Eduardo Atilano. — Manila Times