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Tuesday, January 21, 2003
DSWD takes custody of Salva Me children
By Gingging A. Campaña
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) took custody of some 20 children living with the Salva Me Pater Omnis Oculus Meus in Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City yesterday.
A team from the City Health Department and the DSWD found out that the children lacked nutrition and personal hygiene while living with the Salva Me group in the mountains of Sitio Nazareth, Buhisan.
The team succeeded in keeping custody of the children, but only after arguing with Salva leaders, who came to fetch the children at 6 p.m.
Police had to be called to prevent any physical confrontation.
The DSWD will also rescue the babies who are still with the group.
The City Government and the DSWD earlier that day took the children from their dwelling in Sitio Nazareth to the Social Development Center (SDC) in Labangon.
Although Salva Me leader Alfredo Verano insisted the group’s children and women are properly taken care of, he later gave in to the team on the condition that the children be accompanied by their parents.
Initially, only 12 toddlers, children and teenagers were allowed to go. Verano asked that the infants remain in their wooden house.
“I wonder where the monthly financial assistance from their Australian and American friends go as the kids are all underweight and so pale. They haven’t bathed. If I give recommendations to give these children each a balanced diet, will they be able to follow this?” asked Dr. Milagros Padron.
Assisted by police, the team climbed the mountains of Sitio Nazareth at 9 a.m. yesterday and talked with Verano for three hours.
At the SDC, the team gave the children packed lunch.
As agreed, the team was only to interview the children and subject them to medical examination and return them in the afternoon.
The interview will also help determine if there is basis to file a petition for protective custody in court.
After the interview and the medical examination, however, the team decided to take them into custody.
Questions were mostly focused on the daily activities and recreation of the children and how they perceive life in the mountains.
“They seem to be contented with what they have because they have not been exposed to the life down here. So, in their young minds they cannot compare which is better or worse,” a social worker told Sun.Star.
Although they did not get much details from the children, who did not talk much, the members of the team were baffled by the children’s “very strong faith in Lolo (Verano)”.
“Maayo gyud kaayo pagka-inculcate sa mga hunahuna sa mga bata nga gamhanan si Verano.
Nagtuo sila nga si Verano ra gyud ang makahatag sa ilang panginahanglan,” a DSWD employee said. (It’s firmly engraved in their minds that only Verano can provide them their needs.)
Children Rose Ann and Marian told Sun.Star they do not want to go to school because they believe Verano can give them education.
“Ang kaalam iya namang ihatag kanamo. Si Kristo kaniadto wala man mueskuyla,” Rose Ann said. (He shares with us his wisdom. Jesus Christ didn’t go to school.)
Marian, 13, is tasked to wash clothes for the Salva members and take care of one of the group’s toddlers.
Department of Social Worker and Services (DSWS) Chief Nida Sestona said they had to establish rapport with the Salva Me members so they will allow the children to be examined.
Verano, during the team’s negotiation, said he is willing to face any charges to clear everything.
“I’m glad there was no resistance from the group when we talked. He was not indifferent to us,” Ezekias Malaza of DSWD said earlier in the morning.
The DSWD will also fetch the babies who remained in the mountains.
“They will have a continued medication in the next few days because nearly all of the children are malnourished, pale and need deworming,” Carillo told Sun.Star.
Carillo said they had a hard time convincing the parents to let their children stay. They refused to have the children treated because taking medicines is prohibited in Salva Me.
“Naglalis pa so we had to call the police. It was (DSWD) 7 Director Teodulo Romo who tried to convince the parents to leave the children with the DSWD. They need to be immunized with the vaccines provided by the health centers but they were not allowed by the Salva Me because they were told not to take medicines,” he said.
The leaders said they will be “severely punished by Verano if they go home without the children with them.
Later, they agreed to let the children stay provided that some of the leaders also remain to watch over them.
The children, escorted by the police, were taken to an undisclosed DSWD center.
Carillo said they were supposed to rest after the Sinulog last Sunday but “the children’s welfare cannot wait.”
“Their lack of education is detrimental to their growth and development,” he told reporters.
(January 21, 2003 issue)
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