Legal aid for child victims strengthened

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd has ordered stronger protection of children from abuse and violation of their rights.

According to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., President Aquino signed on August 11 Executive Order (EO) 53, which seeks to boost the country’s child-welfare program and improve the government’s legal support for victims of child abuse.

EO 53 amended EO 275 issued in 1995, which created the Committee for the Special Protection of Children (CSPC).

“The President considers it exceptionally indispensable to give importance to law enforcement as a critical factor in the overall approach to protect children, including their rights, and to make sure that their welfare will not be taken for granted,” Ochoa said.

Under the new EO, the President reorganized CSPC, an inter-agency body that acts indirectly as the coordinating body for implementation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Act, and other government policies that uphold and promote children’s rights and welfare.

The CSPC will coordinate and monitor investigation and prosecution of cases involving violations of the Anti-Child Abuse Act and other child-related criminal laws, as well as formulate and monitor programs under the law.

EO 53 also seeks to ensure the legal protection of children who are victims of physical, sexual, trafficking, prostitution, child labor, neglect and exploitation.

Mr. Aquino also ordered the CSPC to assist children of indigenous peoples, Muslim children and others trapped in armed conflicts.

The committee was also mandated to give preferential attention to violent crimes committed against children, cases with great impact on national interest and those referred to the body for immediate action.

Among its mandate is to establish a system of collecting periodic reports from member-agencies on cases filed before them, harmonize actions of various inter-agency councils on the legal protection of children and develop and recommend policies and guidelines to address gaps and issues in the investigation and prosecution of cases. –Maria Nikka U. Garriga, Manila Times