Friday, May 19, 2006
31 Negrenses ‘treated like pigs’ rescued in Cebu
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
* Victims made to segregate solid waste inside fenced junk shop, not given dayoffs, given ‘kangkong’ only for food
THIRTY-one natives of Negros Occidental, 15 of them minors, were rescued last Monday from a junkshop in Cebu City where they were "treated like pigs."
The Negrenses were removed from a junkshop owned by Rustom Ignacio in Sitio Inayawan, Barangay Pardo in Cebu City with the help of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7.
In a telephone interview Thursday night, Brenda Abarre-Daclan, a barangay councilwoman of Culipapa, Hinobaan town said the victims were hired by Vivencio Hugo from Barangay Daug, also in Hinobaan, since January up to April this year. Daclan said Hugo promised the victims P1,500 monthly salary, free board and lodging, food allowance and a Sunday day-off.
Their work was to segregate garbage.
However, when they got there, they were kept inside a compound and not allowed to go out. Worse, all they had to eat was "kangkong", just like pigs.
Complaints of large-scale illegal recruitment and child abuse have been filed against Ignacio.
The victims, meanwhile, are currently under the custody of the DSWD office as per instruction of Mayor Osmeña. Daclan said they will be brought to Hinoba-an today, accompanied by DSWD 7 representatives.
The victims are from Barangays Culipapa, Daug, and Alim, all in Hinoba-an town in southern Negros.
They were identified as Cristituto Tagbalok, 52; Romeo Luwagi, 29; Eduardo Biatenggo, 31; Marvin Mariñas, 19; Raymarch Caña, 19; Amed Caballero, 28; Rene BoyEcija, 24; Cario Layan, 23; Rogelio Ugson, 19; Johnny Sardedo, 31; Ricky Mendoza, 18; Junmar de la Torre, 18; Roger Grande, 18, Juaggie Evangelista, 34; and Etchel Vidal 20.
The minors were identified as Shirlenda Layan, 16; Anselma Ecija, 15; Cherryl Jane Tanaugon, 14; Roselyn Mahinay,17; Flordeliz Bagacay,17; Liezel Arsenas, 16; Junrey Biatenggo, 16; Luis Bayato, 16; Richard Selecta,17; Dionesio Mendez, 17; Joseph Inohado,17; Ronald Mariñas, 17; and Jonalyn Tanaugon, 16.
Daclan said the hiring was done batch by batch and the latest batch was the group of minors who were sent only last April 7.
She related that when the victims arrived in Pardo, they were shocked when they realized that they were confined inside Ignacio's compound, which was surrounded by a 20-foot-high concrete fence.
They were also not allowed to go out and were never given a Sunday day-off. The victims also recounted that when they asked for other food aside from the rice and kangkong, they were charged P25 per meal or P75 a day by Ignacio. But their salary is only P50 per day.
"As if they were really treated like pigs," Daclan said.
When they could no longer stand the kangkong, some of them "agreed" to the charge. As a result, Daclan said some "owed" Ignacio P20,000.
No one knew of the victims' predicament until the Talaugon sisters, Jonalyn and Cherryl Jane, were able to contact their mother, Elvira, last May 12 and asked for help.
Elvira informed the other parents and they all sought assistance from their barangay officials.
Daclan said she then asked some of the parents to accompany her to Cebu City. Upon their arrival on Saturday, they went directly to Mayor Osmeña, the CIDG and DSWD Region 7 to ask for assistance.
CIDG and DSWD 7 operatives immediately conducted surveillance in the area. Upon finding it positive, they went ahead with the rescue operation on Monday. At first, Daclan said Ignacio resisted and informed the CIDG and DWSD that most of the 31 Negrenses still owe him.
The victims said they did not borrow money from Ignacio and only asked for alternative food.
(May 19, 2006 issue)
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