Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta on Thursday instructed the legal team of the office to summon a house owner from Cagayan de Oro to shed light into the electrocution of a 15-year-old child.
At a media briefing in Quezon City, Acosta said the minor died after being electrocuted by a 220-volt live wire while on top of a resident’s roof to pick mangoes.
“The fence of the house has a live wire of 220 volts, instead of using 110 volts just to drive away anyone who would go up the house’s roof,” she told the Manila Standard.
“The child was hungry, the reason why he tried to get mangoes there. Why need to electrocute him?” she asked.
She disclosed the house owner was trying to convince the victim’s parents for an amicable settlement, but the parents refused to do so.
“All they want is to seek justice,” she said.
She said the house owner could be held liable for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
“If the owner intentionally switched the live wire upon learning the victim went up the roof, she or he could be charged with murder,” she added.
A civil case could also be filed against the owner, she noted, saying “but as much as possible, we will try to mediate, just like what we did with the victims of the Resorts World tragedy.”
“We just went to Cagayan de Oro for the forensic [exam] of the victim,” she said.