Mom steps up for daughter, reports abusive husband

BAGUIO CITY — A mother has found the courage to stand up for herself and her child, filing a police report against her husband for allegedly abusing both her and her minor daughter in their home in Baguio City. Instead of staying silent out of fear, she chose to speak out and seek help, hoping to protect her child from further harm.

​According to police records, the 41-year-old suspect allegedly watched his minor stepdaughter while she was bathing and changing clothes on multiple occasions between October and December 2025. During the same period, he is also accused of molesting the child, acts that fall under lascivious conduct when committed against a minor and are punishable under Philippine law.

The mother did not immediately report the abuse. Investigators said she, too, was a victim of physical violence at the hands of her husband and lived under constant threats. The suspect allegedly warned the girl he would kill her if she told her mother what was happening, a common tactic abusers use to keep their victims silent and afraid.

Despite the threats and the fear inside their own home, the mother went to the police station on 12 February 2026, to report what her husband had done to her daughter and to herself. Her decision opens the door for formal charges and social welfare intervention, and could also encourage other silent victims in the community to come forward.

Police said the suspect has not yet been arrested but now faces complaints for acts of lasciviousness and violations of Republic Act (RA) 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, which carries heavier penalties when the victim is a child. Under RA 7610, lascivious conduct against minors is treated as a serious crime, with possible imprisonment of up to several decades depending on the circumstances and the child’s age.