Fr. Shay Cullen’s Reflections: Justice and Closure for 11-year old Child
August 13, 2019 ·
Justice and Closure for 11-year old Child
Fr. Shay Cullen’s Reflections
August 13, 2019
She was only 11 years old when Andronico Pino overpowered and raped her. She was terrified and threatened to stay silent and tell no one. In shock and traumatized, the child, call her Anna, was fearful of the threats and told no one. When Andronico Pino tried to do it again, Anna cried and resisted and then afterward ran and bravely told her relative.
Immediately, the relative brought the case to the attention of the municipal social worker who called Preda Foundation and the social worker responded. The child was rescued and taken into the protective care of Preda. There she was cared for and helped and over time took her Emotional Release Therapy where she cried out and punched the cushions releasing her anger at Andronico Pino for having raped her. This went on for some months until she overcame the fear and trauma.
She emerged stronger and resilient and asked that he be punished for what he did. She filed a case and was able to give a powerful straight testimony in the court, nervously but without fear. Her clear testimony and narration of what happened left everyone shocked. She was solid and courageous during the cross-examination. The rapist had met his match. His alibi and denial was no match for the truth as told by Anna.
The judge, Judge Marifi Chua, heard the case with professional fairness and listened to all the evidence and witnesses and presided fairly over the cross-examination. The evidence was expertly and strongly presented by the prosecutor Non-Finones. The defense was left floundering in trying to refute the testimony of Anna. They failed.
The case was summed by Judge Marifi Chua. Accused Andronico Pino was charged for two counts- one of rape by sexual assault and the other for attempted rape. The incident happened when minor complainant was 11 years old. After presenting all witnesses on both sides, the accused Andronico Pino was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape by sexual assault and was sentenced to suffer an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of a minimum 10 years to a maximum of 17 years and four months of reclusion temporal. He was also ordered to pay all
damages.
Andronico Pino was also found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of attempted rape and was sentenced to suffer an indeterminate penalty of six years of prison correctional as minimum to 12 years as maximum of prison mayor and also ordered to pay all damages.
So this is justice and closure for Anna, then only 11 years old, but very able to testify and stand her ground against her rapist. Her abuser will now spend most of his life behind bars for the heinous crime. May it be yet another deterrent to would be child rapists. This is a victory for children’s rights. Preda is relentless in pursuing justice for abused children and has succeeded in 2018 in winning 18 convictions against child rapists. In 2019, as of 9 August, Preda has won 13 convictions. The work goes on with more convictions expected in the coming weeks and months.
