The Healing and Closure that Justice Bring to Children

The Healing and Closure that Justice Bring to Children

Preda News

In a landmark decision dated 14 May 2020, Judge Gemma Theresa B. Hilario-Logronio of the Regional Trial Court Branch12-FC in Olongapo City found Johnny Torres Medina guilty beyond reasonable doubt of child sexual abuse of two 11-year old children. The sentence strictly followed the law and has given much needed justice to the child victims. It sends a strong message to other abusers and would be child molesters that they could spend most of their lives in the harsh, unforgiving conditions of Philippine jails where they will be unable to rape or abuse more children.

The child victims suffered severe trauma and were brought for healing to the Preda Home for Girls in Zambales where they made a strong recovery in the therapeutic community. There are as many as 56 girls in the Preda home and they are all recovering from sexual abuse. They are able to release all their pent-up pain and anger in the Emotional Release Therapy and recover. The two children were empowered with self-confidence and education and were able to tell the court what happened to them in a clear, convincing manner. Judge Gemma Theresa B. Hilario-Logronio stated in her decision that “for as long as the victim’s testimony is logical, credible, consistent and convincing, the accused may be convicted solely on the basis thereof.”

She handed down two counts of violations of Acts of Lasciviousness in Relation to Sec. 5 (b) of R.A. 7610 committed against the persons of the two children when they were 11 years-of-age and sentenced Johnny Torres Medina to eight years and one day of prison mayor, as minimum, to seventeen years, four months and one day of reclusion temporal, as maximum and to pay the two children-victims P50,000 pesos each as civil indemnity, P50,000 each as moral damages and P50,000 each as exemplary damages- a just punishment indeed wherein he may truly repent and accept his penance and receive forgiveness behind bars. The sentences will be served successively meaning Torres could be jailed for a maximum of 34 years and 8 months.

Johnny Torres was the live-in partner of the mother of the children who are sisters and took advantage of them. One of the children told the court that sometime in May 2017 in the evening, the accused sexually harassed her touching every private part of her body, and in the same day, he did the same with her sister while she was sleeping and when she woke up he was on top of her. They told the judge that he molested them many times. The children were warned by Torres not to tell anyone and threatened them with harm if they did. They only reported the crime in November 2018 when they found the courage and ran away to the house of their biological father who protected them and accompanied them to file the case against Torres.This important case shows how justice is done and seen to be done.

Judge Gemma Theresa B. Hilario-Logronio has made other well noted decisions in convicting child abusers and human traffickers. In 2019, Michael Macaranas of Subic was convicted on October 30 of human trafficking and sexual abuse of minors and sentenced to life in prison or twenty years. Another significant case is that of Zaldy Valdez convicted by Judge Hilario-Logronio to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua.

These are just some of the many convictions won by the children of the Preda Foundation fighting for justice and freedom. In 2018 there were 18 convictions and in 2019 together there were another 20 convictions of child abusers of children cared for by the Preda Foundation. So long as there are just and fair judges, children will have hope, closure and the healing that justice brings.

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