Authorities in Bacolod City rescued a six-year-old girl who was seen getting hurt by her father in public.

The father and daughter were at the city plaza when the man allegedly hit his daughter with a stick several times - in the head, nape, and thigh. Because of the pain, the child slumped to the ground.

The father, 28, allegedly got mad because the child was able to beg only a small amount of money from strangers.

According to the local government, the father and daughter were seen going around the city.

“Kaunti lang ang ibinigay niya na money. Parang ginagamit niya sa panlilimos ang bata. Mahilig mag-computer ang tatay at scatter. Maybe, ang pera, ginagamit niya for gambling,” said Anjanette Servano, head of the Anti-mendicancy Task Force of the city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD).

Evening on May 19, personnel of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Bacolod City Police Office rescued the child and arrested the father.

“May tinatawag na boundaries tayo. Ang pamamalo ng mga bata, in the language of the law, that is child abuse. Six years old, paluin mo? It is (an) excessive harm that it inflicts and creates pain on the child,” said Capt. Rondyl Tapang, chief of the Bacolod City Police Station 1.

“As a parent, sumasama ang loob ko. Tapos makikita mo pang minor at babae pa,” said Col. Eugene Rebadomia, Director of the Bacolod City Police Office.

The child is now under the custody of WCPD and DSSD.

The child’s grandmother said the child’s mother left her with the father and went to Manila almost a month ago.

“Nito lang umalis ang ina niya, wala pang isang buwan. Sumama sa ibang lalaki. Ang mensahe ko, o ano, nakita mo na ang nangyari sa anak mo?” said said.