Monday, October 17, 2005

VIOLENCE IN THE ‘ELDERLY WEEK’ CELEBRATION

Man, 74, beats up 77-year-old-sister
On her birthday

By Alex P. Vidal

Instead of professing his love for his sister in observance of the “Elderly Week” last October 1-7, a 74-year-old septuagenarian had a bizarre interpretation of the week-long celebration: he beat up his sister, who was celebrating her 77th birthday last October 5 in Brgy. Managuit, Dumangas, Iloilo.
The incident happened at around 6 a.m. inside the residence of Dr. Cecille D. Reade, 61, a British national and immigration consultant, who is the boss of victim Lourdes Dimzon-Lastimoso.
Dumangas police blotter report said the suspect, Dioscoro Dimzon, a resident of the same place, “mauled her (Lastimoso) by pulling her hair and tried to dislocate her fingers.”
Meanwhile, in his letter to the chief of the Dumangas District Hospital dated Oct. 7, Dumangas PNP officer-in-charge SP04 Godofredo D. Descaya, Jr. requested for a copy of the victim’s medico-legal certificate.
Journalist Edwin Alcozero, who saw Lastimoso, said the victim was “too frail to absorb any physical abuse.”
He also described Lastimoso’s attacker as “a bony and angry man who walks with the aid of a cane.”
“This is certainly a human interest story because the incident happened during the observance of the ‘Elderly Week’. To add insult, it happened in a municipality which was awarded several times for its peace and order. What more? The victim was celebrating her birthday,” Alcozero stressed.

‘SHE’S A LIAR’

The incident occurred after Dimzon reportedly suspected his sister, the eldest in their family, of rumor-mongering and for being a “liar.”
Dimzon reportedly did not deny he maltreated her sister.
“Ano abi kay ka butigon gid sa imo (You are a big liar),” Dimzon reportedly barked while pointing his finger at his sister while they were having a “conference” inside the office of Municipal Trial Court Judge Evelio Ylanga last October 7 also in Dumangas.
Dimzon was only restrained after Ylanga reportedly threatened to declare him in direct contempt.
Dimzon and his siblings reportedly resented the actuations of Lastimoso who is a stay-in helper in Reade’s household.

LAND DISPUTE

The altercation stemmed from a land dispute between Reade and Dimzon’s family which squats on the four-hectare lot owned by Reade’s parents.
Dimzon’s family is claiming ownership of the lot which they allegedly bought for only P10,000 from Reade’s father who is now deceased.
Reade has insisted that her family still owns the lot and that the original deed of sale is still in their possession.
Reade she said, does not wish to evict Dimzon’s family from the area but is in fact planning to develop the place and build a village for all of them “as a sign of goodwill.”
Dimzon’s family, however, is also planning to plant vegetables in a certain area covered by Reade’s proposed project.

SINCERE INTENTION

Reade lamented that her “good and sincere” intention appeared to have been misinterpreted by Dimzon’s family.
To resolve the tension that gripped the area, Judge Ylanga advised both parties to observe a status quo until Reade has produced the original copy of the lot’s deed of sale which will be sent to the judge for safekeeping.
Reade, chairman of the Manila-based White Cliff Carer Training Centre Corporation, originally wanted the mauling incident booked in the police blotter “in order to prevent a similar case to happen in the future.” /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com



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