CARMINA and her son Raffy never thought they’d find themselves behind bars inside the Fuente Police Station.
But they were taken into custody yesterday after they allegedly ordered six-year-old Ronron to beg on Escario St. in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.
Ronron’s is Raffy’s daughter. (Their real names are withheld because the case involves a minor.)
Senior Insp. Sheila Gurtiza, chief of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Cebu City Police Office, was in a meeting in a nearby hotel when she spotted the girl.
Ronron, Gurtiza said, was running beside cars that were waiting for the light to turn green. The girl would knock on their windows and start caroling.
Gurtiza said she noticed Carmina, 56, and Raffy standing on the sidewalk.
She said Carmina called out to Ronron after the latter was able to collect several coins. The girl handed the money to the woman.
Gurtiza said she was able to take a video of the incident, which happened around 11:30 a.m.
“Asking a child to beg is a form of child abuse,” Gurtiza said in Cebuano.
The police official called a social worker to facilitate the apprehension of Carmina and Raffy and to rescue Ronron.
Violation
Gurtiza said they will charge the two with violating Republic Act 7610, or the Anti-Child Abuse Act.
The incident should serve as a lesson to parents not to order their children to beg on the streets, she said.
Ronron was taken to the Parian Drop-In Center.
In an interview, Carmina denied using her granddaughter to beg.
“Namasko raman gud mi. Kay pasko man (We were just caroling because Christmas is near),” she said.
When she faced the WCPD chief, she repeatedly asked if they could be freed, and promised they wouldn’t do it again.
“Luoy kaayo ang uban nakong apo, Ma’am. Wala’y laing nagbantay nila (My other grandchildren will be left to fend for themselves if you don’t let us go),” she said in tears.
Gurtiza said they could take it up before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
She also promised to take Carmina’s four other grandchildren to the center so someone can watch over them.
Raffy, for his part, said they did not expect to be arrested.
He said they were just trying to earn a living to feed his family by scavenging for food among the garbage in nearby bars and restaurants.
“Mangayo lang gud mi’g pasaylo. Pwerti gyud paita sa among kahimtang (We’re asking for forgiveness. Our situation is really grave),” he cried.
Carmina, Raffy, Ronron and her siblings live inside the Carreta cemetery.
They go to Escario and other neighborhoods to beg for alms or pick up garbage to earn money.
Not a first-timer
However, Gurtiza said Ronron had been profiled by the Fuente Police Station after she had been rescued several times since 2014.
“There’s no law prohibiting them to do caroling in houses but it’s dangerous, especially to the children, if they do it on the streets,” she said.
“This is a lesson to the public to refrain from giving these street children money so they won’t think it’s easier by just begging and to the parents also, that their children are their responsibility,” Gurtiza said.