False Accusations
Irish Times
25 January 1999
Unpublished
Some time ago there was a news report of an allegation that I and the social workers of the Preda Center in Olongapo, Philippines were responsible for the abuse of a seven year old child in the protective custody and care of the Foundation. This is totally untrue and the false allegation was spread by a foreign Pedophile ring whose members we got sentenced from 8 to 17 years in prison for child molestation. We have brought fresh charges against them for libel and defamation.
The rapist of the seven year old child, a twelve year old house boy, son of the victim's nanny, and living in the same house as the seven year old, confessed to the crime. However being a minor he was not taken into custody and has since sexually abused another child. An arrest warrant has now been issued. Official police reports say that the seven year old told them in October 1997 that the son of her nanny molested her ten times. Her American adoptive father is accused of child neglect and for abusing his maid, (the daughter of the nanny) since she was 12 years old.
Counter charging is a common legal ploy here in the Philippines and spreading the false sensational allegations through the tabloids is common practice against which there is no defense. The unsubstantiated complaints first made against us last year were never raised to a formal charge but were thrown out by the Public Prosecutor as harassment without even the need for a formal hearing but the mere fact of making the allegations no matter how false were mulch for the tabloid media.
I work with a dedicated professional staff of twenty Filipinos at the Preda Foundation and we have earned the ire of a group of foreign pedophiles and the sex bar and brothel operators. We have hurt their sex tour business a lot. Presently the Preda staff are assisting with the prosecution of sixty more cases against local and foreign abusers. It is no wonder that they are retaliating by making false and baseless complaints and publicizing them in an attempt to deflect attention and discredit our evidence against them.
There is no way to prevent such unsubstantiated complaints. Under the Philippine judicial system anyone can make a formal complaint by handing in their written allegations to the office of the Public Prosecutor, proof is not necessary at that time, no matter how false the charges may be. It is a simple matter then to call up the press and spread the false allegations as if they had official approval.
For us who have been on the front line against organized Pedophile rings for so long this is an occupational hazard we have to endure. It is one of the reasons why so few are willing to take a public stand for sexually abused children and even more reluctant to bring charges on behalf of the child victim who may be abused by her own parents.
For those of us who do take on this thankless task the understanding and support of the public is very necessary to encourage police, social workers and child advocates to fight the organized Pedophile rings.
The public and media are always crying out for something meaningful to be done but who dares now a days to get involved? That brave young woman, a victim herself, Sophia McColgan, was visiting the Preda center before Christmas and inspired and encouraged us to continue our work. When she was victimized nobody would believe her, she was even blamed herself, and received no help when she needed it most. Sophia had to endure and overcome it herself. Her book should wake us all.
Without public and media support for this work helping victims and taking legal action against abusers most of us will give up the fight. It's a difficult, risky and thankless apostolate. Who reading this is willing to undertake it when they could be easily falsely accused?
It is the public and the media who cry out that something should be done to stop the child abuse and the rape of the innocent. Are we not fools to heed them and take up that call and put ourselves in such jeopardy by making ourselves targets of revenge by the convicted pedophiles and their friends?
I can only appeal to the media to support victims of child sexual abuse by
making well-researched investigative reports on these Pedophile rings that
destroy so many innocent lives. For those who want to learn the truth and know
more about our 25 years helping children and youth, jailing their abusers and
successfully defending ourselves the official legal record is available by
writing, e-mail or on our web page.
http://www.preda.org
Father Shay Cullen
Preda Foundation Inc.
Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City
(047) 222 4994, 223 9630
E-MAIL: predair@info.com.ph
