Two Convicted for Qualified Trafficking and Child Abuse
February 17, 2021 · By Preda News
Two Convicted for Qualified Trafficking and Child Abuse
Two male minors, considered children in conflict with the law, were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crimes of qualified trafficking in persons and child abuse and were ordered by Judge Gemma Theresa B. Hilario-Logronio to undergo a disposition program under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth, according to a Court Order dated 9 February 2021.
The 15-year old victim told the Court that the two minors pimped him to Franco Aranas, a teacher of the Department of Education (DepEd) assigned to New Cabalan National High School in Olongapo City who allegedly sexually abused him in a room in Sunshine Lodge, Olongapo City. Franco Aranas is facing separate criminal complaints for use of a trafficked person and child abuse. He is also facing an administrative complaint in the DepEd for Grave Abuse.
Asked how he is feeling after the guilty verdict, the victim said he is happy that the Court believed his testimony and that the two CICL will undergo a disposition program rather than serve their penalties in detention. He hopes to find closure when the criminal and administrative complaints against Francio Aranas are resolved in his favor.
The Preda Foundation helped the 15-year old victim and two other male youth to lodge legal complaints against Franco Aranas and provided them with psycho-social support and educational assistance.
This Preda project supporting the recovery and legal action for and on behalf of children who are victims of abuse, slavery and trafficking is jointly supported by the United States Agency for International Aid and Development (USAID), the United Nation’s Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, the United Nation’s Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons and Misereor, eV.
