Campaign continues to save Children in Detention
June 4, 2020 ·
Campaign continues to save Children in Detention.
Preda News
4 June 2020
There are hundreds of children held in crowded sub-human jail cells in most cities and municipalities. This is illegal according to Philippine law RA 9344 each local government is supposed to have a proper children’s home with therapy, education, medical, and many services to meet the basic rights of the child. The homes are supposed to help the many street children at risk and children in conflict with the law. However, the law is violated, and the conditions are terrible small children locked in dirty rooms without beds or showers or proper hygienic toilets. They are constructed with jail like conditions.
The overcrowding is a very dangerous situation as the Coronavirus infection will surely kill the children. The government is not reporting the number of infected or the number of deaths in the child detention centers. They are closed to all outsiders. Preda Foundation is campaigning for the release of prisoners with as much media coverage we can generate through my weekly column in The Manila Times and other magazines and newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, and online. (www.preda.org and Preda Foundation Facebook)
Preda Foundation Youtube has several documentaries from past years on the issues and work of Preda, especially our rescue of children for the jails, brothels and human traffickers. The latest in the UK report. We have 4 homes for rescued children boys and girls with complete accredited programs and beautiful homes and facilities.
Our campaign has had some success in raising the issue and the Supreme Court ordered the release of 10,000 prisoners. But the children are no among them. Only 11 children have been released. Most children have no charges if they are below the age of 15, those with a criminal charge can be released by a court order. We continue to campaign to get the children released to save them for the coronavirus and we need to develop awareness, and action through media advocacy and international political and church assistance.
Fr. Shay Cullen
