Thursday, April 03, 2008 Strikers face child abuse charges
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Police in Dumaguete City filed child abuse charges against striking port workers affiliated with the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).
In a complaint filed before the City Prosecutor's Office, Laume Quijote, supervisor of division 2 of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), accused the striking workers headed by district coordinator Felizardo Calimpong of neglecting, abusing, and exploiting the children during their strike.
She stressed that the children were used as human shields to protect the adults.
Ma. Magdalena Arbas, social welfare assistant assigned in Barangay Looc--where the port area is located, said in her sworn statement that she tried to convince the parents not to include the children in the strike.
But a mother told her that she could not allow her child to be separated from her. She, however, failed to identify the women.
Judaline Flores-Partlow, bureau chief of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in Dumaguete City, said she heard men, women, and children screaming when the police tried to disperse the striking workers who blocked the road.
Partlow said she was on top of the police truck taking photos when she saw some children carrying rocks and empty bottles and trying to fight against the police officers.
City Police Chief Leopoldo Cabanag accused Calimpong, being a district coordinator of the port strikers, of command responsibility.
Police officer Josefa Lacandula, of the child protection desk, stressed the use of the children was a form of abuse, cruelty, and exploitation, and is prejudicial to the child's development. (VLC)
