45-year-old woman seeks help after allegedly years of husband's abuse

A 45-year-old woman sought help from the authorities after allegedly experiencing nine years of physical abuse from her husband in their house in Las Piñas City.

According to Chino Gaston’s “24 Oras” report on Friday, the husband was caught in a video slapping the face and hitting the head of his wife with a shoe.

He also hurt his 16-year-old daughter who tried to intervene.

"Maria (not her real name)" said it was not the first time that her husband hit her, adding that the physical abuse has been going on for nine years.

Maria shared that she and her three daughters left their house and moved into their parent’s house. She said that she has now the courage to file a complaint against her husband.

“Lahat ng pananakit niya tinatanggap ko. Sabi nga nila ang duwag duwag ko daw ang tagal tagal ng ginagawa sa akin, panahon na para lumaban ako kasi parang niyuyurakan na pagkatao ko eh,” Maria shared.

(I tolerated all the pain he has caused. They said that I am a coward because I kept it for a long time. It is time for me to fight because it was like my dignity is being trampled on.)

“Magagalit po ‘yun kahit habang nagoonline class ka, magagalit po yun dahil ang ingay mo. Last time nga po last year nagonline class ako binubugbog niya ako sa harap ng online class ko. Nagsampa po ako ng kaso noon kaso hindi po tinuloy ni Mama eh,” said one of Maria's daughters.

(He will get angry even while you are in an online class, he gets angry when you are noisy. Last time, last year I took an online class, he beat me in front of my online class. I filed a case during that time but Mama didn't pursue it.)

A barangay protection order has been issued against Juan, a construction worker who now refuses to work.

The barangay officials found him wandering the streets but he could not be apprehended because the case had not been filed before the women and children’s protection center at the Las Piñas police office.

Meanwhile, Juan refuted the allegations against him.

“Sabi kasi ng mga tao binugbog ko raw, pero hindi ko naman binugbog. Hindi naman malakas yun, hindi po,” Juan said.

(People said I punched them, but it was not true. It was not strong.)

“Dapat talaga sa mga lalaki na nag-aasawa eh minamahal po yung mga babae hindi sinasaktan hindi lang po namin alam kung bakit ganoon yung asawa niya kasi nga po paulit ulit na rin po yung lalaki na yan dapat po kasuhan talaga at makulong na,” Gina Lapata, Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) desk officer of Barangay Zapote, said.

(Men who get married should love their wife. They should not resort to any kind of violence. We just don't know why he is like that. The man should be charged and imprisoned.)

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) last 2017, one of every four women aged 15 to 49 who got married experienced spousal violence.

Those who want to file a complaint and report domestic violence, may contact the Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) officer in their respective barangays or message Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center Facebook page. -- Richa Noriega/BAP, GMA News