By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A 13-year-old minor was recently hospitalized after he was allegedly struck by his father with a hammer in Bacolod City’s Barangay Tangub. Police have requested anonymity for the victim but identified the suspect as 54-year-old Fortunato Panaligan, a resident of the barangay’s Purok Matahom.
Based on initial investigations carried out by the Police Station 8 (PS8) Women and Children’s Protection Desk, the assailant was believed to be suffering from a nervous breakdown at the time of the incident.
Panaligan claimed he was trying to hit “several people” he saw running inside the house and later realized he was hitting his own child.
The victim was immediately rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital after sustaining injuries to the head.
The suspect, meanwhile, is presently detained at PS8 and currently awaiting a decision from his family if they will press charges./DGB, WDJ