Sisters escape troubled life

“No good future.”

This was how 14-year-old Jane (not her real name) described her life with her mother Dina and the latter’s American boyfriend, Roger.

“Ako ug ang akong mga igsuon basta magkuwang na na siya og supply sa drugs o shabu, suntokon ko, tamparuson ko, sipaon ko ug bunalan og hanger ni (I and my siblings were often mauled by) Roger,” she said in her affidavit.

When they were still living in Lapu-Lapu City, Jane said her mother, Dina, and Roger sold her two brothers to strangers for P200 each.

Several years later, they transferred to Barangay Labangon, Cebu City. This time Jane said her mother pimp her older sister, Janice, on Colon St.

Dina and Roger eventually asked her to go along with Janice, 15, to seek customers for sex so they can earn money.

“Pero ningbalibad ko (I refused),” said Jane, a fourth grader. “Mao to nga panahon nga ningsugod na ko og kahadlok nga basin ila kong ibaligya (That was the time I worried they will sell me).”

One time, Jane asked her older sister where the latter got her money.

“Secret,” said Janice.

Jane did not press on.

“But as I understood,” said Jane, “my sister gets her money from her customers.”

Around April or May this year, Roger went to Leyte and planned to relocate Jane’s family there.

“I did not agree because… I would die of beating and physical abuse,” she said.

Dina and Janice did not follow Roger, who only brought Dina’s two other children.

“(My mother) could not support and provide for my school needs because most of her money (was used) to buy drugs,” said Jane. “I even saw her having pot session with Roger, Janice and my older brother. Janice invited me to join them but I refused.”

Last June, Jane left her family and went to her grandmother’s house.

The grandmother, whom Jane fondly called as Momsy, enrolled the child to school and provided all her needs.

“Ganahan ko naay maayong kaugmaon akong kinabuhi (I like my life to have a good future),” she said.