INC Minister makikipag-eyeball sa dalagita, timbog sa US

Dinampot ng mga tauhan ng New York City Police Department (NYPD) ang isang Filipino-American na diumano’y ministro ng Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) sa entrapment operation habang tatagpuin nito ang 12-anyos na babae sa New York City noong Abril 3.

Kinilala ang naaresto na si Glennon Salvador Payabyab, 43-anyos, na naaresto sa Springville, Staten Island subali’t pinalaya rin makalipas ang 24 oras dahil sa pangamba na idinulot ng insidente sa kanilang komunidad.

“He lives down the block from my home. He is always around (with) children. He knows where my daughter lives, has her picture, and knows where she attends school,” pahayag ni Liza Vetland, kapitbahay ni Payabyab.

Lumilitaw sa korte na nahaharap si Payabyab sa “misdemeanor charge endangering the welfare of a child,” ayon sa ulat ng SILive.com

“We have an order of protection, but how does that help when he lives a two-minute walk away?” tanong ni Liza.

Kuwento ni Liza, madalas na nangangamba ng kanyang dalagita habang naglalakad ito pauwi sa kanilang bahay dahil naprapraning ito sa kababantay sa kanyang sarili.

“These are deeply troubling allegations, but they are mere allegations that Mr. Payabyab vehemently denies,” sabi ni Kyle Peters, legal counsel ng INC minister, sa ulat ng SILive.com.

Samantala, pinapurihan ni Peter DiMiceli, founder ng Protect Our Children, ang mabilis na pagkilos ni Liza.

“If it wasn’t for the victim’s mother and her perseverance, we may not have caught this perpetrator. Thanks to teamwork, the alleged subject was detained and arrested,” ani DiMiceli.