PREDA Letter to Undersecretary Lourdes Balanon - 19 February
2004
19 February 2004
Hon. Undersecretary
Lourdes G. Balanon
Department of Social Welfare and Development
Constitution Hills, Batasan Complex
Quezon City
Dear Undersecretary Lourdes Balanon,
This is in regard to three of the victims of a paedophile ring from Puerto Galera who are in the protective custody of the DSWD in Cavite.
Our social worker Mary David went to Puerto Galera last week with representatives of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Ecpat, Center for Prevention and Treatment of Sexually Abused Children (CPTSC) and Judge Lilia Lopez for a meeting with the mayor and other local officials. They discovered that there are as many as 25 identified victims in the area around Puerto Galera and on the nearby island. Perhaps many more we do not yet know about.
Two suspects, a German and an American, are in jail in Calapan. Another was identified and escaped but may be arrested soon, we hope. There are many more "kano" according to the few children who already gave statements, thanks to the help and intervention of Stairway Foundation who contacted PREDA asking for help.
The PNP is withholding vital evidence from the NBI. The computer hard disk that has vital evidence and also at least two (2) videotapes showing the abuse. They refuse to give them to the NBI.
The municipal social worker is committed and doing her best but is overwhelmed. The regional social worker from Calapan is not yet engaged in contacting the victims. Some parents are part of the ring and are preventing their children from being interviewed. The parents are getting gifts from the paedophiles. It is like the situation before in Pagsanjan. Perhaps that is why the regional social worker is unable to engage in identifying and interviewing the victims because the parents will not co-operate .
Judge Lopez during a public meeting said that the social workers must take custody of the children to give them therapy, counselling and protection. PREDA offered to give shelter and therapy. But the mayor refused and does not want the victims to be taken into protective custody. He is not very co-operative.
The teachers of the schools are sending signals that they know much more but have no one to tell that can help the many victims. It was a teacher who first discovered it.
We believe that the situation is so serious a DSWD task force is necessary to go there in Puerto Galera and locate the child victims, take them into protective custody for help and counselling and to hear their story.
Sincerely,
Fr. Shay Cullen, mssc
President and Executive Director
