Statement of Preda on the video “Five girls escape from Fr Shay Cullen’s Preda Foundation & Tell of their Ordeal”

Statement of Preda on the video “Five girls escape from Fr Shay Cullen’s Preda Foundation & Tell of their Ordeal”

The video was uploaded by one who supports Lilian Sherry Zimmer, dubbed as the World’s Worst Foster Mother https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Police-hunt-woman-paedophile-…) and who was jailed in the Philippines. Now based in the US, Zimmer is spreading fake news about Preda and she is not returning to the Philippines lest she be charged for child abuse, torture and neglect. The Youtube account owner has been suspended from Youtube at least three times already for maliciously maligning people absent credible facts and evidence and she does not allow viewers to leave comments for fear of rebuff
The five girls on the video were victims of human trafficking and were sexually abused and exploited and referred by police and government social workers to the Preda home for girls. It is an open center where there are no high walls or fences and guards. The children are not prisoners and confined. They are there by free choice.
The five girls on the video left the Preda home for girls and they then fell again into the power and control of the human traffickers of Angeles City. The human traffickers are criminals and are using them to discredit Preda and to get the cases against the traffickers and abusers dropped. Many girls who graduated from Preda have freely expressed their positive comments on Facebook about their experience of a happy life in the Preda home. One said the Preda family is the only family she wanted to return to. Others recalled how the staff treated them with kindness and affirmation.

Last August 8, agents from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) rescued Sybil, one of the girls in the video, who was trafficked again and returned by traffickers to Fields Avenue to be sexually exploited in Angeles City. They placed her in a secure facility run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. When she was brought there, she had a change of heart and weeping and saying sorry, she told government social workers she wanted to be returned to Preda instead.

Among those charged for several counts of human trafficking and sexual abuse of children are American national John Rofheart and Christine Mendoza. Their victims are Jemma, then only nine years old, and her older sister Sybil, then only 10 years old. They gave sworn statements to the police and with the help of Preda social workers filed the cases against John Rofheart and Christine Mendoza. Judge Paras-Quiambao and Judge Buan-Factora issued arrest warrants against John Rofheart and Christine Mendoza.

Christine Mendoza was arrested on 17 May 2019 and is now detained while John Rofheart has reportedly fled the country. However, agents of the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have already interviewed Jemma and Sybil and the HSI agents would mostly likely file a case against John Rofheart in the US for violation of its extraterritorial jurisdiction law.

The other girls on the video belong to a group of 20 children who were also victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation rescued by police and brought in March 2019 to the Preda home for girls. These children filed cases against their traffickers who are now both on trial and in jail.

In many cases of human trafficking, the traffickers are aided and abetted by family members of the child victims. It is a non-bailable offense in the Philippines and if the suspect is an American national, it is covered by the US extraterritorial jurisdiction law. That’s why child traffickers and abusers will do everything in their power to thwart justice by paying off victims and their families to get them to their side and discredit and vilify those at Preda who are helping the children who are victims.

Last July 4, 2019, Sybil’s father and aunt and the mother of Christine Mendoza tried to abduct Jemma while she was participating in a school-sponsored sports fest in Subic. Fortunately, the Preda staff was there to protect Jemma. The incident was recorded on the barangay’s CCTV. When Jemma was at a mall with the other Preda girls last July 6, the would-be abductors were there too to try to grab Jemma. Jemma was shocked and the Preda children left at once. Jemma is firm in her decision to pursue justice. We at Preda have filed a case for grave coercion against the father and aunt of Jemma and Sybil and against the mother of Christine Mendoza.

Meanwhile, Jemma is happy at Preda and is pursuing her studies. Last August 8, she courageously gave her clear and strong testimony and was consistent during her cross-examination. She described how Christine Mendoza brought her and Sybil to Rofheart and he abused them many times. She has now finished her testimony in Court against John Rofheart and Christine Mendoza.
There are 46 other girls happily recovering at Preda home for girls. They eat three substantial, nutritious meals a day and two snacks. They are participating in group dynamics, art and crafts, training sessions, games, sports, karate, dance and counseling and most emotional release therapy during which they release their hatred and anguish at what had been done to them by the traffickers and abusers.
It is no wonder that traffickers and child abusers are angry and fear Preda as a defender of abused children. In 2018, we at Preda won 18 convictions against traffickers and abusers. This year, we have had 13 legal successes so far and more is expected in the next months. That is why they retaliate and spread false news against Preda. We can stand against it. We will remain relentless in our work pursuing justice against child traffickers and abusers and we thank all those who support us in this work.