Group seeks justice after ‘ironic’ killing of 15-yr-old rape victim

MANILA, Philippines — A child advocacy group is seeking justice for a 15-year-old rape victim who was killed last July 2, which was ironically near the anniversary of the country’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Save the Children Philippines said on Wednesday that the victim, who was shot by two motorcycle-riding men in Ilocos Sur, was killed days before the anniversary of the Philippines’ participation in the UNCRC, which was made official last July 26, 1990.

The UNCRC, the group said, is an international agreement that sets out “the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities”.

“Violence against children, including those inflicted by law enforcement authorities who are duty-bound to protect them, is condemnable and must be put to an end,” Save the Philippines chief Alberto Muyot said in a statement.

Reports coming out from Ilocos said that the victim lodged a complaint against a police officer who allegedly molested her after they were apprehended for violating quarantine regulations.  But instead of being brought to a police station, she and her cousin were allegedly brought to a beach, where they were supposedly raped.

But after they filed a complaint, the victim was killed.  Police officers Staff Sergeants Randy Ramos and Marawi Torda are blamed for the killing, with the Philippine National Police (PNP) itself filing murder raps against the suspects.

Previously, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) vowed to conduct an independent investigation on the incident, on top of the provincial government’s request for the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the case.

In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa has condemned the incident, saying that the suspects do not deserve to be called police officers.

Despite the Philippines being the 31st country to ratify the UNCRC — which pushes for the respect of children’s rights to a humane life and protection from abuse and violence, the country has registered several incidents of violence against women and children (VAWC), especially during the lockdown due to COVID-19.

As of June 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte’s report showed that there are 3,600 reports of violence against women and children lodged in various Women’s Protection Desks after the pandemic forced people to stay at home to avoid local coronavirus transmissions. [ac]