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Two 15-year-old brothers were allegedly held at gunpoint and physically hurt by security guards at a mall in Manila after they were accused of attempting to steal from a store, according to their mother.
According to a report by Jomer Apresto on “24 Oras Weekend,” the boys’ mother said her sons left home on July 29 to attend Mass with a friend but did not return.
She only learned on the night of August 2 that the boys had been brought to the Manila Reception and Action Center.
According to the mother, the boys told her they had gone to the mall’s restroom and were surprised to find the mall already closed when they came out.
The brothers said they then looked for a way out of the mall but were spotted by security guards, who allegedly pointed a gun at them, ordered them to lie down and handcuffed them.
One of the boys sustained wounds that the mother said were caused by the handcuffs. She also learned only recently that the boys were allegedly slapped by the guards.
The mother said she understood that the guards were doing their jobs but believed the alleged treatment of her sons went beyond what was appropriate.
However, police investigators from the Smokey Mountain Police Community Precinct said CCTV footage showed the boys and another minor at the mall on the night of July 30, with their faces covered.
According to police, the three minors were seen hiding in a vacant lot and waiting for the mall to close before allegedly attempting to open a closed boutique.
They reportedly entered the store and hurriedly left about 30 minutes later, after which mall security personnel spotted them.
The mall management decided not to file a complaint because no items were reported missing, police said.
Authorities are now investigating the boys’ allegations that they were physically abused by the security guards.
Police Capt. Ryan Jay Balagtas, chief of the Smokey Mountain police station, advised the family to have the minors medically examined and to file the appropriate complaint if the alleged abuse occurred.
The Manila Department of Social Welfare, meanwhile, said it was ready to provide intervention and assistance to the minors.
The mall management has yet to issue a statement on the allegations. — MCG, GMA News
