From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: PHILIPPINES: DEFENDING STREETCHILDREN FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 09:25:24 GMT

/** reg.philippine: 100.0 **/
** Topic: IPS: Defending Streetchildren **
** Written  7:50 am  Apr  4, 1992 by fbp in cdp:reg.philippine **
From: Foreign Bases Project <fbp>
Subject: IPS: Defending Streetchildren

/* Written 11:11 am  Apr  3, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "PHILIPPINES: DEFENDING STREETCHILDR" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Asia, eastern
Reference: Third World Dvpmnt
Title: PHILIPPINES: DEFENDING STREETCHILDREN FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION

manila, mar 31 (ips/crysta rara) -- economic hardships and rapid
urbanisation in the philippines are driving more children out into
the streets to make a living, without the benefit of legal protection
from abuse and exploitation, experts say.

children, whether they be accused or victims of a crime,
get little or no protection from the philippine justice system,
delegates said at a seminar on streetchildren here last week.

the seminar, called to discuss ways to defend a child in an
adult-oriented justice system, was sponsored by the women lawyer's
circle of the university of the philippines (wiloci) and the united
nations children's fund (unicef).

a study by the development academy of the philippines (dap)
showed about two to three percent of the child population in
philippine urban areas are streetchildren.

ill-clothed and malnourished, these streetchildren are often
taken for violators of the law by police. when apprehended, they are
subjected to the same treatment as adult offenders.

according to manila prosecutor jesus guerrero, detained children
go through the same pre-trial procedures as accused adults. they are
even put into the same prison cells with hardened criminals, he
added.

under philippine law, only children below nine years old are
exempt from criminal reponsibility. children aged nine to 15 are
also exempt unless they are proven to have acted ''with
discernment''.

when children are accused of a crime, the focus should be on
treatment and rehabilitation to help them lead normal lives later,
said ofelia santos of the philippine judicial and bar council.

in a traditional family system like the philippines where minors
cannot act without the approval of elders, the government must
launch a massive information campaign to make children aware of
their rights, santos added.

while child victims cannot go to court unless accompanied by
a parent, guardian or representative assigned by the state, they
have the right to file a complaint alone, santos said.

she said the government must re-assess the law which states that
only girls suffer from rape since about 74 percent of the total
population of sexually abused children are male.

abandoned, neglected, abused or exploited children must know
that they can turn to school and church authorities, social workers,
government officials and the police for help, santos said.
(more/ips)



philippines: defending (2)

but francisco tanega, who runs the 'sons of mary home for street
children', said children who come to his shelter often complain of
having suffered torture and sexual abuse in the hands of law
enforcement officers.

they refuse to press charges against their abusers for fear of
being killed, tanega said.

clinical psychologist lourdes carandang, who heads the psychology
department of the ateneo de manila university, said children,
whether accused, victim or witness, will always need special
treatment to get over the emotional trauma of their experiences.

she said an abused child must be taught to trust again in adults
so he or she will not grow up to be an abusive parent.

to help the campaign of child defenders, the department of
justice said it would assign special prosecutors to work with the
police in handling cases involving children.

unicef regional adviser for east asia, dr purificacion
quisumbing, said child defenders can cite the u.n. convention on the
rights of the child, adopted by the u.n. general assembly in
november 1989, which also applies to the philippines since it is a
u.n. member. (end/ips/cr/lm/92)



** End of text from cdp:reg.philippine **
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