Alfred Vargas' child abuse complaint vs. Rob Sy dismissed
The child abuse complaint filed by Alfred Vargas and his wife Yasmine against the parents of their child's alleged bully, Rob Sy and Juvelle Bacosa, have now been dismissed.
On his Facebook account, Rob shared the resolution issued by the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila, which details that the case was junked as the allegations that Rob and Juvelle failed to supervise theor son is "merely based on speculation."
"Allegation is not in itself evidence," the resolution read, adding that there was also no evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to hold the couple criminally liable for child abuse.
Rob welcomed the resolution, writing, "Hindi po bully ang aming anak at sinisiguro po namin na sya ay aming pinapalaki ng maayos, at kung nagkakamali ay aming itinatama at dinidisiplina."
"Mula pa lamang sa simula, nanindigan kami na ang reklamong ito ay isang kalkuladong 'Narrative Reversal' at isang pagtatangkang baliktarin ang tunay na pangkalahatang kwento gamit ang media portrayals at emotional theatrics imbes na objective facts at totoong ebidensya," he added.
The actor went on express his gratitude to those who testified for them.
"Moving forward, ang ultimate goal namin ay tuluyang 'ma-fireproof' ang aming anak mula sa epekto ng masakit na kabanatang ito. Ang absolute priority namin ay protektahan ang kanyang kapayapaan, emotional security, at overall well-being, at siguraduhing lalaki siyang ligtas, matatag, at protektado ng katotohanan," Rob said.
Meanwhile, Alfred stated on his Facebook page that they have now been informed aboit the decision of the prosecutor
"While we have yet to receive the official decision, we say with certainty that we respect the law and due process and we will continue to do so regardless of the outcome," he said.
He continued, "In the same light, due process allows us to seek legal remedies. We will exert all available legal avenues to pursue justice for our child. Hindi pa po dito nagtatapos ang laban."
The Vargases filed the complaint against Rob and Juvelle on April 13, suing them for their negligence that enabled acts prejudicial to their child’s welfare. This constitutes child abuse under Section 10(a) of Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The lawsuit stems from a pattern of conduct where Rob's minor child allegedly pushed and held the Vargases’ son underwater during swimming training sessions.
The couple claimed that this incident "occurred several times" despite urging the bully's parents to tell their child to stop and to manage their conduct. However, Rob denied the claims, maintaining that his child was not a bully and that the narrative had been "twisted."
In an update posted by Yasmine on May 16, she shared that she has now withdrawn her child from the swimming club where the bullying supposedly took place.
"This was not an easy decision for us. We sincerely hoped matters could still be handled quietly, peacefully, and in a way that would protect the well-being of all the children involved. However, as parents, there comes a point when you must prioritize your children’s emotional welfare, peace of mind, and overall well-being above all else," she explained.
"For now, our focus is on helping our children heal, protecting their welfare. We continue to hope that, in time, understanding, accountability, justice, and compassion will prevail for everyone involved," she added.
Alfred shares four children with Yasmine, whom he married in 2010.