LINGAP Institute
September 11, 2000
Hon. Secretary Artemio Tuquero
Department of Justice
Padre Faura
Manila, Philippines
Fax: 0063 2 521 1614 or 0063 2 521 8349
Dear Secretary Tuquero,
On behalf of the members and officers of LINGAP Institute (Learning for Interdependence and Global Awareness of the Philippines). I am sending this letter of appeal to you to please initiate a just and speedy review of the evidence presented by PREDA proving their innocence and a decision replacing the previous one.
LINGAP Institute is an Edmonton based Philippine North American organization of academics, teachers, civil servants, live-in care givers, nurses, and professionals and community leaders concerned with Philippine development issues. As concerned individuals and Filipino Canadians, we wish to publicly express our support for Father Shay Cullen of PREDA Foundation, and to appeal to the Honorable Secretary of Justice to either drop the charges against him or order an immediate review of the case.
We are appealing to you directly as Secretary of Justice because we have high respect for your integrity as a citizen and as a Government official. We are also confident that if you order a just and impartial review, the evidence will point to the dismissal of this false and manufactured charge.
The work of Fr. Shay Cullen and the PREDA staff in defending the rights of children against sexual abuse and exploitation for many years has been acknowledged worldwide by international association working for the rights of children as well as ordinary citizens. The Philippines has been seen as having one of the most active and vigilant children's rights movement in the region, mainly through the work of organizations and foundations like PREDA. The reputation of Fr. Shay and PREDA is unblemished in both the international and national community.
But the courage of Fr. Shay Culled has made life difficult for the paedophiles and child abusers and people whose business is the prostitution of young children and adolescents. To avoid themselves of the risk of exposure and to mask their own activities, they attack the child-rights defender, hence the campaign to discredit Fr. Shay Cullen and PREDA.
To the credit of the Philippine government, it has passed strong child protection measures in recent years. Through these measures, many child sex offenders have been jailed or deported while a national plan of action has provided a framework for continued action over the coming years. This vigorous response to the problem of child sexual exploitation in the Philippines has been inspired by the work of individuals like Fr. Shay Cullen, and of NGOs such as PREDA Foundation and ECPAT Philippines.
We therefore urge the Philippine justice system through your honorable Office and Department of Justice to honour the true meaning of the principles of the 'Rule of Law'. The charges of child abuse now brought against a person, who has for so long defended and protected abused children, should be ordered dropped or at least reviewed fairly in light of new evidence presented by PREDA.
We hope for your immediate attention to this most urgent request.
Yours sincerely,
Cc:
Fr. Shay Cullen
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Star
The Manila
Times Today
via fax message, dated
September 15, 2000
