Latest news with #SpecialProtectionofChildrenAgainstAbuse
GMA Network
22-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
VP Sara says dad Rodrigo likens fate to Quiboloy amid detention
Vice President Sara Duterte said her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, thinks he and his ally, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, share the same fate as both are in detention. The vice president is currently in The Hague, Netherlands to visit her father in detention after he was arrested for alleged crimes against humanity during his administration's war on drugs. 'Sabi niya na pareho daw sila ng palad ni Pastor Quiboloy, pareho daw sila ng kapalaran. Tapos sabi niya, 'Sana pala hindi na lang kami naging magkaibigan, baka pa hindi kami napunta sa detention,'' Sara said, recalling her conversation with Rodrigo about Quiboloy. (He said he shares the same fate as Pastor Quiboloy. He told me he wished he hadn't become friends with Quiboloy, so that they wouldn't be placed in detention.) 'Nagtawanan kami, tapos sabi ko, 'Wala namang kinalaman 'yung mga guhit niyo sa palad sa inyong ano…sa mga pangyayari ngayon.' Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Politika lahat 'yan,'' she added. (We laughed about it. I told him that their palm lines/fate have nothing to do with what is happening now. I told him that it's all because of politics.) Duterte was arrested in the Philippines by local authorities on March 11, 2025 based on a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. Quiboloy, meanwhile, was arrested by local authorities six months earlier or on September 8, 2024, inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City, where the police had been searching for him for weeks. He is currently detained at Pasig City Jail. The religious leader is facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended. He is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. Recently, a Pasig court has denied the petitions for bail filed by Quiboloy and his co-accused for his qualified trafficking for sexual abuse and labor exploitation case. The Vice President said she has not yet informed her father regarding this development, as she has not read the order of the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC), as well as the evidence presented by the prosecution that led to the denial of the bail petition. Call for Abante Sara also urged House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante to stop commenting on the ICC case of her father, stressing that she should only speak on behalf of the lower chamber. 'Siguro dapat huwag magsalita si Ms. Abante patungkol sa ICC case dahil spokesperson naman siya ng House of Representatives at wala namang kinalaman ang House of Representatives sa ongoing na kaso ngayon,' the Vice President said. (Maybe Ms. Abante should not comment about the ICC case because she is the spokesperson of the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives has nothing to do with this case.) She said that she went to The Hague as a Filipino and as a Vice President fighting for the rights of someone who was brought to and detained in another country. 'So ako, meron akong right. I have all the right to express my anger against what the administration of BBM did. Pero si Princess Abante, siya ay isang spokesperson ng House of Representatives so ang dapat niyang tina-topic o ibinabahagi sa taumbayan ay kung ano 'yung nangyayari sa House of Representatives. Huwag na siyang sumawsaw. It's out of her league,' VP Sara added. (I have the right to express my anger against what the administration of BBM did. But as for Princess Abante, she is a spokesperson of the House of Representatives so she should be only talking about what is happening at the House of Representatives. Do not meddle in this. It's out of her league.) Abante said Monday that the detention of Rodrigo Duterte by the ICC over alleged drug war deaths is based on evidence. The House spokesperson said this in response to Sara Duterte's assertion that her father's detention in The Hague is based on gossip and collusion between the ICC and the Marcos administration.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
21-07-2025
- GMA Network
Quiboloy's bail petition denied by Pasig court
A Pasig court has denied the petitions for bail filed by detained Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused for his qualified trafficking for sexual abuse and labor exploitation case. In a 23-page order dated July 20, the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 159 denied the petition separately filed by Quiboloy, Sylvia Cemañes, Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, and Ingrid Canada. 'At this juncture, the prosecution has sufficiently shown that the evidence of guilt against all the accused is strong on the two crimes of qualified human trafficking committed by a syndicate,' the court said. 'Thus, given these pieces of evidence against all the accused at this point which establish a great presumption of guilt for purposes of bail, the Court must deny their petitions for bail,' it added. The Court, however, stressed that the resolution does not determine the ultimate outcome of the cases. 'The Court is merely tasked with resolving the Petitions for Bail filed by all the accused, and not with rendering a judgment on the merits of the case. There remains a long process ahead, and both parties have the opportunity to present further evidence,' it said. GMA News Online has asked Quiboloy's camp for comment. Meanwhile, the camp of the complainant welcomed the court's ruling. 'We are so happy and grateful that the Petition for Bail of Quiboloy et al has been denied, meaning that the Honorable Court found that the evidence of guilt is strong,' private prosecutor Atty. Joahna Paula Domingo when asked for comment. 'We are hopeful that justice is within reach,' she added. Quiboloy is facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended. The Davao City-based religious leader is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act with a QC court. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
18-07-2025
- GMA Network
CHR seeks swift prosecution of child sellers
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Friday called for the immediate prosecution of perpetrators of child selling, including through online platforms. CHR issued the statement in light of the case of a one-month-old child sold online. 'CHR expresses grave concern and vehemently condemns the ongoing practice of child selling in the country. The sale of children—even by their own parents, and regardless of intent—is a clear violation of Philippine law and constitutes child trafficking, punishable under Republic Act No. 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) and Republic Act No. 9208, as amended (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act),' it said. 'The government should immediately strengthen the monitoring and regulation of online platforms, enhance surveillance and investigative capabilities, as well as swiftly prosecute these perpetrators of child trafficking,' it added. In addition, the commission urgently called on the Philippine government to uphold its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Article 35 of the UNCRC provides that all state parties should 'take all appropriate measures to prevent the abduction, sale, or trafficking of children,' given that 'these acts represent grave human rights violations that must be addressed with utmost urgency.' 'Let us stand united against the exploitation of children. No child should ever be bought, sold, or treated as a commodity,' the CHR said. Further, it said individuals and couples seeking to adopt a child should do so under a legal and ethical process as provided under Republic Act No. 11642 or the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act. 'Legal adoption safeguards the rights and welfare of the child. It is imperative that prospective adoptive parents follow lawful procedures,' the CHR said. 'We urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspected cases of child trafficking to the proper authorities. Protecting our children is a collective duty and a shared societal responsibility,' it added. —Llanesca Panti/LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Lawmaker asks CA to junk Castro, Ocampo conviction over rescue of IP children
ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro and former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo tell reporters on July 15, 2024, that they will appeal their conviction by a court in Tagum, Davao del Norte. TINA PANGANIBAN-PEREZ/GMA Integrated News Returning ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio has called on the Court of Appeals to reverse the child endangerment conviction of former ACT Teachers congresswoman France Castro, ex-Bayan Muna party-list congressman Satur Ocampo, and 11 others in connection with the 2018 humanitarian mission to rescue Lumad students from a paramilitary group. In 2024 the Tagum, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court found the group, collectively known as Talaingod 13, guilty of violating Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. They were sentenced to be imprisoned from four years to six years. The case is under appeal. 'One year of injustice is one year too long. Former lawmakers France Castro, Satur Ocampo, and their companions are not criminals. They are heroes who risked their own safety to rescue Lumad children from the terror of state-backed paramilitary groups,' Tinio said. 'Their only 'crime' was to defend the right to education and life. Teacher France, Ka Satur, and the rest of the Talaingod 13 came to the aid of Lumad students and teachers whose lives and safety were threatened. For the court to rule that they endangered children while doing so is a gross miscarriage of justice. We demand that the Court of Appeals to immediately reverse the conviction,' he added. Tinio said that the case stemmed from a 2018 National Solidarity Mission which was held in response to the state-backed closure of Salugpungan school, a school for Lumad students, in Talaingod, Davao del Norte wherein the lives of students and children are being threatened. "Gawa-gawa at malisyoso ang kasong ito mula pa sa simula. Ito ay paraan ng nakaraang Duterte administration para takutin ang sinumang tumutulong sa mga Lumad na ipagtanggol ang kanilang lupang ninuno at karapatan sa edukasyon," Tinio stressed. (These are trumped up and malicious raps. It was a ploy of the Duterte administration to strike fear in those who were helping the Lumad communities in fighting for their right to education.) "Hindi dapat pinarurusahan ang pagiging makabayan at makatao,' he added. (We should not punish a person for being patriotic and humane.) Tinio said prosecutors should file charges against those who are threatening the Lumad community and forcing to shutdown the Salugpungan school, including former president Rodrigo Duterte himself, who threatened to bomb Lumad schools in July 2017 for supposedly teaching subversion and communism. "I will use the Armed Forces, the Philippine Air Force. Talagang bobombahan ko 'yung mga… lahat ng ano ninyo. Because you are operating illegally and you are teaching the children to rebel against government. May kalokohan kayo, eh di mas lalo na ako," Duterte said at the time. Four days after making the threat, he walked back his words and insisted he did not issue a kill order. 'Duterte deserves to stand before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity not just for the thousands of killings he ordered in the name of his fake war on drugs, for which he is currently on trial, but also for war against the Lumad schools and communities that likewise led to gross human rights violations,' Tinio said. 'Justice for the Talaingod 13 is a step towards justice for all victims of state terror," he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
11-07-2025
- GMA Network
Man arrested for sexual abuse of minor niece —NBI
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday announced the arrest of an individual over the sexual abuse of his minor niece in Rizal. Agent-in-charge Atty. Czar Eric Niqui said the subject had been sexually abusing the victim since she was 7 years old. The victim is now 14 years old. 'Meron pong instances kasi na nag-umpisa ito nung namatay 'yung tatay nung ating complainant and it so happened na 'yung ating subject ay naatasang mag-alaga sa mga bata na anak nitong complainant,' he said in a media briefing. (There were instances because this started when the father of our complainant died, and it so happened that our subject was assigned to take care of the children of this complainant.) 'At doon sa pagkakataon na iyon ay kanyang inumpisahang gahasain at gawan ng mali at malaswa itong bata,' he added. (At that point, he started sexually abusing and doing bad things to this child.) He said the man would threaten the victim that he would kill their family if she told anyone what was happening. However, the victim opened up to her mother about what was being done to her when the mother told the victim that she will be brought to her grandmother. 'This prompted the victim na sumigaw at sabihin na may nangyayari sa kanya doon sa bahay ng kanyang lola. At doon na nalaman ng complainant kung paano nag umpisa at nag tuloy 'yung panggagahasa sa kanyang anak,' Niqui said. (This prompted the victim to scream and tell her what was happening at the house of her grandmother. It was then that the complainant found out how the sexual abuse started and continued.) Niqui said the man underwent inquest proceedings for violation of Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, as amended. The NBI also referred to the inquest prosecutor to conduct a preliminary investigation on the past incidents of sexual abuse against the victim.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
