ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro and former Bayan Muna party-list representative Satur Ocampo were convicted for child abuse by a Davao del Norte Court.
Tagum Regional Trial Court Branch 2 has found Castro, Ocampo and 11 others guilty for violation of Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, sentencing them to four to six years of imprisonment.
They were ordered to pay P10,000 as civil indemnity and P10,000 as moral damages to each of the 14 victims, with an interest rate of six percent per annum from finality of the decision until full payment.
Acquitted from the case were Pastor Edgar Ugal, Ryan Magpayo, Eller Ordeniza and Jurie Jaime.
The charges stemmed from the conduct of a National Solidary Mission in Talaingod in Davao del Norte in November 2018 by a group joined by Castro, Ocampo and 72 others.
The group aims to provide assistance to Lumad schools and teachers in the area and to look into the claims of human rights violations and harassment by paramilitary group Alamara, which forcibly padlocked the Salugpongan Community Center.
They brought over 70 people, including 29 minor students, when they were intercepted by the police at a checkpoint over allegations of human trafficking.
“Considering the terrain and the conditions of the road, the children might be shot either by the military or [New People’s Army] (NPA) because it was in these areas that the military and the NPA had several encounters,” the court said in its decision.
“Moreover, they might also be bitten by snakes or insects, or fall into ravine or off the cliff, or slipping and falling on the road, which is very rough and slippery,” it added.
In a statement, the ACT Teachers slammed the court conviction, which it said is a blatant attack on teachers and rights defenders.
It noted that the charges filed against Castro and the others were fabricated, exemplifying the Rodrigo Duterte administration's state terrorism against progressive groups, individuals, and human rights defenders.
“For doing their duties of protecting students from harm and rescuing those in grave danger, teachers and rights defenders were unjustly punished, while military and paramilitary forces who are the true perpetrators of violence and child rights abuses roam free,” it said.
“The court readily bought the false and filthy narrative of the perpetrators and turned a blind eye on the facts of the incessant attacks against Lumad schools and the rescue mission that was carried out to protect the children,” it added.
Castro said their conviction only shows the continuous impunity in the country.
“Kung sino pa ang nagtatanggol sa mga kabataan kami pa ‘yung na-convict, kami pa ang mapaparusahan,” she said.
(Those who defend the youth are the ones who have been convicted or punished.)
“Itong conviction sa amin nagpapatunay lang ito na nagpapatuloy ang impyunidad at kawalan ng hustisya sa kabataang lumad at kababayang lumad,” she added.
(This conviction only proves that impunity and injustice continue against indigenous youth and indigenous people.)
They vowed to “strongly question this decision in all venues possible.” (TPM/SunStar Philippines)