Man charged for punching naked boy, 16

A man in Parañaque City is facing charges of physical abuse after he punched a naked 16-year-old boy he found lying on his stepdaughter’s bed on Thursday afternoon.

The suspect, Joseph Amodia, 36, a resident of PCJ Lagoon, Phase III, BF Homes, was complained of by the boy’s parents yesterday morning.

Amodia said he had just returned home at around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday when he saw his 16-year-old stepdaughter looking out of sorts.

When he asked her if she was feeling unwell, she said yes.

When the girl returned to her room, Amodia said he was shocked to see the naked boy, who quickly put on a pair of boxer shorts.

In his anger, he admitted to punching the boy in the stomach.

The boy immediately left to go home.

However, Amodia found himself being invited to the police station yesterday at 2:30 a.m. after the boy’s parents considered charging him with physical injury in relation to Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The suspect voluntarily joined the authorities, kneeling before the boy’s parents, asking for their forgiveness.

However, the boy’s parents were insistent on filing a case against him.

“If you were in my situation, and you saw a man you do not know naked on your daughter’s bed, you might do even worse! Even though I am not her real dad, I looked after her. I love her as my own daughter. I took her to school every day! My wife and I take good care of them! I still have three other children. If I go to jail, how will they live? We don’t have money, not even a penny. We don’t know what to do,” Amodio told Daily Tribune in an interview.

It was learned that Amodio’s stepdaughter met the boy via Messenger on Facebook. They have only known each other for 10 days.

Meanwhile, the girl’s mother said her daughter allegedly told her the boy tried to take off her shorts, and that he allegedly forced his hand inside her underwear.

If you were in my situation, and you saw a man you do not know naked on your daughter’s bed, you might do even worse!